From the Battle Field
by firerwolf
Summary: Series of oneshots for the 100 prompts challenge. They are done for my original Spartan Kathleen-113. Rated T for future chapters.
1. Kathleen

**100-Challenge**

**prompt 001. Introduction**

**Title: Kathleen**

* * *

She stood still as the technicians worked on her armor. The steel black plates were scarred from years of combat. Plasma had burned away the paint in places, leaving the black armor spotted with darker black. There were scratches here and there showing the olive green that lay under the black paint. She could vividly remember how her armor had received each and every scratch and burn. Shots from plasma pistols, blades of brute shots, spike grenades. Each had left a mark to remind her of what she faced every mission.

The technicians finished and she moved off down the hallway. Soldiers moved aside for her, stared in surprise at the sight of a Spartan. At seven feet in her armor she was something out of the ordinary.

"Where are my soldiers?" She turned, moved out of the building, and stopped as a line of warthogs passed down the road.

"They are in the training grounds, where else?" a female voice rang through the radio of her helmet, almost inside her head. Maria may not be a smart AI but Maria was enough for her team.

She made her way across the base till she could see the training grounds. She watched as the squad of soldiers ran through the obstacle course. They tackled each obstacle with ease, jumping over walls, climbing ropes and nets, crawling under barbed wire, and running across graveled ground. She didn't move any closer to them, only watched. They were her soldiers, and although they had finished their daily training three hours ago, they were still hard at work. She smiled to herself, proud of their dedication. She turned around and moved back toward the barrack building. She quickly ducked out of the way and into the shadows of a structure as a warthog moved past. She watched as the vehicle, and the three Spartans in it passed by, unaware of her presence. Once they'd passed she moved back out into the path. She hated to hide from them, but orders were orders, and good soldiers didn't go against orders.

She made her way into the barracks and moved to her own cot. The Sergeant sat down, removing her helmet. She stared down at the reflective faceplate and frowned to herself. Her blue eyes looked over at the cot next to hers, and the helmet that sat on the soldier's pillow. The ODST helmet seemed to be staring at her, watching her. She glanced back down at the Mark VI helmet in her hands. She huffed and tossed the helmet to the side. She ran a hand through her short blond hair as she took a deep breath. The marine stood up and moved over to her locker. She opened it and stared in at the clothing inside. They were all barely used and almost brand new. She was hardly ever out of her armor any more. Her hand reached out, lightly running a finger over the name tag on the breast of the shirt. It was her name, though the number lost to her. Only the officers called her by her number, her soldiers only called her by her name, or by "Sarge".

There was a beeping at the other end of the room and she shut the locker, moving over to the terminal. She hit the reply button and spoke. "Sergeant Major Kathleen-113, reporting. What do you have for me?"


	2. Heart

**100-Challenge**

**Prompt 002. Love**

**Title: Heart**

**Rating: T**

The two trainees moved into the cave, leaning against the damp walls to catch their breath.

"You think we lost them?" Fred looked over his shoulder to see if anyone followed them. There was no one and no sound of pursuers. He turned his full attention to the female cadet next to him. "Are you all right?"

He moved over to her side and she took her chance. The female trainee's fist connected with Fred's stomach, knocking the wind out of him. "What the hell was that for, Kat?" She slapped him across the face and he fell to the ground. "Damn it, stop that."

"I told you not to call me Kat," Kathleen snapped, leaning over against the wall and flinching as she sat down. She drew her hand away from her side and cursed the crimson blood that coated her fingers.

"Well, I understand why you slapped me, but why the hell did you punch me?" Fred struggled to get his breath back. He moved over to sit down beside her against the cave wall.

"Because your damn plan failed, and I'm the one that paid for it." Kathleen returned her hand to her side, putting pressure on the wound. She had been nicked by a bullet from one of the instructors. "Don't remember anyone saying anything about live rounds."

"They didn't tell us anything, just gave us a job to do." Fred looked away from her and then back to her side. "How bad is it?"

"It bleeds worse than it is." Kathleen moved her hand back so that he could see the place she'd been hit. The bullet hadn't done too much damage. Most of it was on the surface. "I'll live."

Fred tore at the sleeve of his shirt until he had a strip of cloth. He pulled out his canteen and poured a bit of water on it. He then went to work cleaning the blood from her wound. She protested but he simply told her to be quiet. Once the blood was gone, the wound looked much better and seemed to be healing quickly.

"You should get some rest. We'll try coming up with another plan tomorrow." Fred put his arm around her shoulder.

Kathleen moved a bit closer to him and set her head on his shoulder. He gave her one of his charming smiles, the kind she knew was meant only for her. She slowly closed her eyes, enjoying his presence. They could be in the center of a roaring battle field with bullets overhead, but with him beside her everything was right. It wasn't long before she drifted to sleep in the comfort and warmth.

Years later, Kathleen sat staring at the image of Fred in an UNSC press release. She was relieved but in pain at the same time. Her mind was dedicated to leading her team, her body belonged to the UNSC pumped full of their science to make her better, and her soul belonged on the battle field. But deep down, she knew that Fred would always own her heart.


	3. Day

**100-Challenge**

**Prompt 003. Light**

**Title: Day  
**

* * *

Kathleen moved through the ruined streets of the city. In the daylight the carnage was visible. The burn marks were splattered across the streets and buildings. The bodies of the dead sat out in the sun, proof of her failure. She couldn't get to them in time, couldn't save any one of them. She cursed the light and how it flaunted death in her face.

When a Covenant ship had gone into slipspace close to the ship they'd been dropped from, the shockwave had scattered her soldiers. It had taken out their radios as well, making contact impossible. She knew that she stood out in the light. Her black armor contrasted against the gray walls of the buildings.

The whine of banshees filled the air and Kathleen ran for cover. She slid to the ground and to a halt under a pair of crashed cars. There was just enough room for her to squeeze in. She held her breath as she waited for the sound to fade away. She waited until it had been quiet for a minute before she pulled herself free of her hiding spot.

A trio of phantoms passed by overhead and she moved to press herself flat against the side of a black car. She had no idea if they were separatist or if they were loyalist but she wasn't about to take any chances. She had limited ammunition and until she found her team they couldn't continue with their mission.

Light always made their missions harder. Black armor usually stood out when you were making an assault. It was like fighting two enemies at once: The alien enemy which fired plasma bolts, grenades, and spikes at them; and the light around them. It made it nearly impossible to hide from their foes.

Kathleen moved away from the car and looked around for any enemies. She could hear the distant barks of grunts and squawks of jackals. She glanced down at her rifle. She didn't have time to waste fighting some battle against a patrol when they were going to assault a major Covenant camp. She cursed the light one last time as she couldn't simply slip into the shadows and let them pass by. She would either have to run or face the enemy. She hated to run from any challenge but she would need every bullet, every grenade, and need to be in good shape.

The sounds got louder and Kathleen made her choice. She turned and took off at a full run away from the direction of the patrol. Her feet pounded the pavement as she dashed between the cars along the way. The light made the path ahead visible to her with each and every step. Every bump and obstacle was obvious to her as she moved to avoid them and continued at her top speed. She didn't dare look back to see if she was being pursued. She no longer cared. She blocked out the rest of the world, eyes roaming for any sign of her team.

She slowed finally as she spotted what looked to be the crash site of a pod. She held up her rifle and a second later saw a flash of light. She looked up and spotted a single ODST standing on the top of a rubble pile. She lowered her rifle and moved up to him. She smiled, pleased to have found a teammate. It appeared that she had found a light of hope that they would make it.


	4. Night

**100-Challenge**

**prompt 001. Dark**

**Title: Night**

* * *

Kathleen loved the darkness. In the dark she blended easily with her surroundings. The black armor was perfect for night missions like these. She crouched in the shadows watching as the enemy slowly passed by them. The patrol walked down the street, completely unaware.

The VISR system outlined the enemy forces perfectly. It was another reason she loved the dark. It was the only time that VISR worked. It made it easier to move around a map and to tell if something that was moving was a danger. The bright red outlines moved with each and every step of the enemy.

Kathleen glanced over at the green-outlined soldier beside her. She nodded and he moved off into the darkness. It seemed like the VISR system even had trouble keeping up with the soldier in the darkness. If not for the system he would have become one with the shadows, leaving Kathleen to only hope that he would stick to her plan.

Kathleen moved forward, running over the unlit street like water. She moved from car to car, keeping low and as silently as possible. She knew that in the darkness she had the upper hand. She spotted a few spots of slight movement here and there and she knew they were her team. She crouched down behind a broken-down police car. She glanced out at the enemies in the center of the road. Green lights flashed on her HUD, signaling that her team was ready. Kathleen looked around and couldn't spot a single green outline. Kathleen smiled proudly, though she'd never let the other soldiers see it. They were one with the dark so much that the VISR couldn't find them.

She readied her SMG and flashed the signal to her soldiers. She moved out and took aim at the brute. Even out in the open, the aliens didn't seem to see her until she fired and the flash of her gun showed any sign that the bullets weren't materializing out of thin air.

Two other soldiers opened fire at the brute. The large alien roared, unsure of where to aim first. The grunts didn't even get a chance to find a target before the shots from the two remaining marines tore through their chests and heads. The brilliant blue blood was vivid though the VISR.

The brute finally fell, and Kathleen moved out to the bodies quickly, grabbing a couple plasma grenades and a spike grenade. The other four soldiers walked out to join her. They seemed to come out of thin air and the VISR system outlined them. They scavenged the rest of the grenades and two of them picked up the plasma pistols that the grunts had been carrying.

Kathleen looked up into the sky above. The stars were barely visible above them, but the slight outline of a Covenant cruiser could be seen. A pair of phantoms passed overhead and split apart. Kathleen accessed her town map. Maria had patched into the local systems to keep track of the Covenant movement. The phantoms had dropped off troops in a pair of court yards. She marked them as areas to stay away from and nodded to her troops, pointing two fingers forward. The marines turned and took off in the direction she had motioned. They disappeared out of sight. Kathleen took off after them and was quickly consumed by the dark.


	5. Remaining Hope

**100-Challenge**

**prompt 005. Seeking Solace**

**Title: Remaining Hope**

* * *

Kathleen stood before the war memorial. She stared at the pelican wing, looking over the photos. She knew they weren't even a fraction of the people that had been lost, but only so much could be fit on the memorial. She frowned at the 117 scratched into the metal with the Master Chief Petty Officer insignia taped near it. She found it hard to believe that they couldn't manage to find at least one picture of him.

She'd had Maria check to find out how many Spartans were left. Just because the Master Chief had been lost did not mean that they had all been lost. She was stricken to find them all marked as missing in action. She knew the rule, the order. A missing Spartan was a dead Spartan. She was now the only name on the list and she wasn't even on it.

She felt an odd emptiness with the knowledge. She hadn't been close to the Spartans since she had been split from them, so she found it odd that their deaths affected her. She had seen the bodies of fallen Spartans on the battle field and it hadn't affected her, but somehow a list of names and three letters beside them did.

She looked down at the Spartan patch in her hand. The simple patch of an eagle ready to strike with lightning bolt and arrows in its talons was still brand new. She had never attached it to her uniform as she didn't feel like she was one of them. She was a bit surprised that they'd never made a symbol for the ODSS. She guessed it was because they weren't supposed to be known about and to make a crest for them would be proof they existed.

She could remember sitting in the auditorium with all of her fellow future Spartans, being told that they were going to be the best. Going to be defenders of Earth and her colonies. She remembered their first day of training, how Mendez had worked them to exhaustion. She remembered being put in a group with Fred and Will, and how she'd reluctantly made friends with them. She remembered the first time all five of them had been teamed up. How they'd beaten green team at capture the flag. She remembered the day after she'd recovered from her augmentation, and they'd told her all the other Spartans had died. That was the last time she could remember really feeling upset about the Spartans.

She didn't understand why it suddenly mattered to her again. Why she suddenly cared that they were all gone. Why did she feel so alone standing there on the platform before the memorial? She looked over the faces of the marines whose photos had been attached to the surface. She felt like they were all deserving of as much sorrow over their deaths as she felt for the Spartans, but she felt distant from them.

Kathleen turned to look back as several of her soldiers walked up the stairs to join her. "Hey, Sarge, check out what Max made." The soldier held out an object and Kathleen took it. She looked down at the insignia and smiled. It was what appeared to be a bird of fire gripping arrows in one talon and a sword in the other. She turned to look at the ODSS who had gathered at the base of the memorial. She found solace knowing that even though the Spartans were gone, her ODSS were still around. Still there to fight and protect all of humanity from whatever may come in the future.


	6. Run

**100-challenge  
Prompt 006: Break Away  
Title: Run**

* * *

Kathleen didn't know where she was going. She had no destination, only a need to get away. She had to get away from all of it. From the base, from the technicians, from the memories, from the UNSC. Her body was her enemy, only assisted by the forest around her. Her legs didn't seem to get the signal from her brain properly. Her stride was unsteady, but she kept running.

Kathleen's lungs burned and legs ached, but she pushed past it. There was a voice in the back of her head that told her it was hopeless. That she couldn't run away from the truth. She ignored the voice, a louder voice shouting for her to run. She chose to listen to the louder voice.

She wasn't sure what it was that she was running from. Her mind didn't want to think long enough to settle on a reason. She stumbled over each and every little thing that got in her way as she ran between the trees. The forest that once had been her friend was a hindrance to her progress.

She knew that she couldn't run forever, and if she did she would just end up right back at the base and all that she was trying to get away from. It was inevitable that her legs would give out and they could come get her. They would drag her back there, back to it all. For now, though, she would run from it. She would run until she couldn't breathe, until her muscles screamed they couldn't take any more.

She recognized the forest around her and the memories flowed through, only pushing her forward. The tree where they'd slept one night, the river they'd used to find each other, the open field where the instructors would land a pelican or construct their camp. Each one picked away at the fresh wound. It hurt like no physical wound that she had ever felt. There was no medical cure for this kind of wound.

She felt water on her cheeks but when she looked up the skies were clear. She came to the realization that the water was coming from her. It wasn't sweat but tears running down her cheeks. She couldn't remember ever having cried in all of her life. The realization only seemed to make it worse. She was breaking and she didn't know how to handle it, and now she had no one to help her.

The forest grew steep and she knew that she had reached the mountain range. What had once been a barrier between a drop point and an objective became just another obstacle she was going to pass. Her limbs hurt, but she wouldn't stop, not any time soon. Shadows passed over as pelicans made passes. She wondered if they were looking for her. The idea that they were gave her a second wind, urging her to run faster.

She wouldn't let them get her yet, she hadn't gotten away. There wasn't enough space between her and the base yet. She had to break away from all of it. Break away from the pain of her loss. Break away from the truth that she had no one left. Break away from the failure that was all they had worked for since she was six. Break away from the memories of them that tore at her heart reminding her of what would forever be gone from her life. Break away from the family that she had once again lost. She had to break away from the Spartans.


	7. Battle Field

**100-challenge  
Prompt 007: Heaven  
Title: Battle Field**

* * *

Shots whizzed over her head. She crouched down behind the broken wall and checked over her rifle. Her clip was full and her assault rifle was in working order. She looked to her right where Edward was slipping a new clip into one of his SMGs. She glanced to her left and spotted Emily and James, both ready to fight. She knew the rest of her team was scattered about the city, doing duties that she had sent them to.

A dozen brutes were gathered in the plaza, guarding a group of grunts that were burning their way into the building. Inside the building were at least one hundred civilian survivors. In less than fifteen minutes, the grunts would break through the door and be able to attack the humans. It was the ODSS's job to stop that from happening. On top of all of that, they'd gotten word that three more phantoms were in bound to their position. Kathleen was on the last clip for her rifle and she only had about two clips worth of ammunition for her pistol.

She already had burns on seventy percent of her left leg and a plasma burn on her right shoulder. They'd met up with some special operation grunts earlier, which had caught her in the back with a fuel rod shot and melted away enough of her armor to leave her without an energy shield. Her motion tracker was having a bit of trouble and the VISR systems in their suits were slightly damaged. It still was able to outline enemies, but the identification software wasn't working, so everything was outlines in green. This made it a bit difficult to distinguish enemies from friendlies from a distance.

On top of it all, the south roads had all been taken over by Covenant troops. This meant that they wouldn't be getting any supplies any time soon, nor back up soldiers. The three marines that they had managed to find in the city had been killed when the brutes appeared. They'd managed to scavenge the ammunition from the fallen soldiers' weapons, but it wouldn't be enough to take down the brutes. Luckily, they had also managed to get a few grenades off of dead grunts and the marines.

The barks of the grunts grew closer and Kathleen readied her SMG. The brutes must have gotten tired of waiting on them and decided to send the grunts out. She heard the distinct sound of a jackal's energy shield, and Kathleen guessed they were approximately ten meters away. The sounds seemed to wander about and were spread out. The aliens likely didn't know where they were hiding, something that would help the marines.

Kathleen held up three fingers, two, one, then made a fist. She moved out into the open at the same time as Edward. She raised her rifle and found five grunts staring straight at her. Two jackals stood behind them and screeched as the soldiers came out of hiding. The roars of brutes echoed down the street and were followed soon by the thud of running brute steps. Kathleen spotted two war chieftains, fuel rod guns at the ready, one chieftain with hammer at the ready, and at least five major brutes with plasma rifles.

They were outgunned, outnumbered, cut off from all back up support, injured, and working with partially broken equipment. To any others this would be a hopeless situation. But for Kathleen this was the place she loved the most. For her, this was her heaven


	8. First Meeting

**100-challenge  
Prompt 008: Innocence  
Title: First Meeting**

* * *

Kathleen sat in the wide open field, watching the children on the playground. They were all playing tag, running over the jungle gym as the child who was 'it' tried to tag someone. Kathleen wasn't allowed to play with them anymore. It had been a week since she had pushed another girl off of the jungle gym to try to get away from being tagged. She wondered if they would forget about it any time soon so that she could play again.

A shadow caught her attention and she looked up at the woman who stood over her. The woman wore a simple dress and Kathleen didn't like the way she seemed to be studying her. She glanced over and spotted a man standing over to the side. She wondered if they were there together, as the man was watching the two of them.

The woman knelt down so that she was closer to eye level with Kathleen. "Why are you out here all alone?" The woman's voice seemed to be cold, distant.

Kathleen scowled at her. "The other kids won't let me play tag with them. They think it's my fault that this other kid got hurt falling off of the jungle gym." She crossed her arms over her chest. "It's not my fault that he was such a weakling."

"Aren't there any other games that you could play?" The woman frowned a bit. "Would you like to play a game with me? I think you'll enjoy it."

Kathleen hesitated for a moment. "All right, it's not like I have something better to do." She stood up and was eye to eye with the woman. She'd always been tall for a six-year-old and it was evident as she stood a bit higher than eye level with the woman.

The woman reached back to the bag at her side and pulled out a cube. He held it out so that Kathleen could see it. "This is called a rubix cube. As you can see each side is made up of nine smaller squares." She rotated the cube showing how it could move horizontally and vertically. "The idea of the game is to see how fast you can get it so that each side consists of only one color." She held out the cube to Kathleen. "Why don't you give it a try?"

Kathleen took the cube and looked it over trying to figure out how best to handle it. "So it's a three dimensional puzzle." Kathleen frowned. "Puzzles aren't much of a game."

"Well, the game part comes in because you're timed." The woman pulled out a small watch and opened it up. "You can start the puzzle when I say go." There was a moment's pause. "Go."

Kathleen went to work, having already figured out what she had to do to accomplish her goal. She finally slid the last side into place and held out the completed cube. "Finished," Kathleen announced proudly. "How was that?"

The woman studied the watch and looked over the cube. "You did very good, twenty seconds." The woman nodded seemingly pleased. "That's close to the fastest time ever. The fastest time is seven seconds."

Kathleen frowned. "I can do better." She frowned down at the cube. "How do you make it all messed up again?" He held out the cube.

"You have to mix it up yourself." The woman took the cube and started to twist it this way and that mixing up the sides again. "Speed trials are only one way that you can test yourself, though. They used to have competitions to see who could solve these fastest and under certain parameters."

"What kind of parameters?" Now Kathleen's attention was caught. There was a way to make it more challenging. She liked a good challenge.

The woman smiled at her eagerness. "Well, there were competitions to see who could figure them out the fastest while blindfolded, only using one hand, or using only your feet. There was even a team competition where one person was blindfolded and the other teammate would tell them how to turn it." She held the cube back out to Kathleen. "Would you like to keep it?"

Kathleen looked at her stunned. "Can I really keep it?" She reached out and took the cube, holding it like a treasure.

"Yes, you can keep it. Maybe you can cut a few seconds off of your time." The woman stood and looked down at the child, and then turned and walked away.

Kathleen looked up, surprised, as she walked away. "Thank you," she called after her, turning her full attention back to the cube. She turned and ran back to find a teacher to see if they could time her.

Kathleen spent the next three weeks doing the puzzle over and over until she managed to be able to do it in seven seconds. She struggled to try to finish it faster than seven seconds, but found that she always fell sort of her goal. The teacher took the cube away from her a total of ten times in the twenty one days and each time she would stand in front of their desk at the end of class until they gave it back.

She sat up all night under her covers practicing solving the cube without light, with one hand, and even tried it with her feet but the look she'd gotten from the other kids made her stop. She was determined to find a way to break the seven second mark. In the fourth week she finally solved it in less than seven seconds. That wasn't good enough to her though. She wanted to do it in less than six, so she continued to practice.

It would be only another week later when Kathleen would be taken from her home. Only a week later, when she would be sitting in the auditorium with the seventy-four other Spartan trainees. Only a week later that she would be given a purpose in life. She'd be given the great purpose of defending earth.

It would only be one week after meeting Dr. Halsey in the field that she would become a Spartan and lose her innocence.


	9. Into Hell

**100-challenge  
Prompt 009: Dive  
Title: Into Hell**

* * *

Kathleen dug her hand into the underside of the disabled pelican. The front half of the ship was nothing but twisted and burnt metal. They'd been hit by plasma fire from seraphs fighters. This wasn't even supposed to be a dangerous mission, simply a return to the _Star Fall_. Kathleen had been on the ship _Summer Spirit_ to give an in-person report to the Colonel in charge.

While her pelican had been making its trip back, a group of Covenant ships had appeared out of slipspace. They immediately launched single ship fighters and they had made their way toward Kathleen. The pilot had tried his hardest, but the seraphs had hit the ship with combined fire and melted away most of the cockpit. Kathleen had floated in the back of the ship amongst the ammunition and supplies which had come loose when they were hit. She hung there in the back space of the pelican trying to figure out her next move.

Sure, this move felt stupid, but it was her best chance. As soon as the ship had lost power, the seraph fighters seemed to lose all interest. Kathleen moved to the rear of the disabled ship and tapped the control panel. The rear had decompressed and Kathleen heard the hiss of oxygen being removed from around her. She gripped the inside of the pelican as she felt it move, propelled by the force of the decompression.

She tapped the controls and the rear hatch slowly opened. Kathleen glanced out into the open space and took stock of all that she could see. Three of the Covenant cruisers were trying to gang up on a pair of UNSC battle cruisers. She spotted the hull of the _Summer Spirit_ nearby and heard saw it shudder as it fired the ships main weapon, the MAC gun. She wasn't sure if they hit or if they took out the target, but for now it didn't matter to her.

A shape appeared below her and she found what she was actually looking for. The _Star Fall_ was passing directly below her, trying to stay out of the conflict. The cruiser had yet to get back to a station where its damaged weapon systems could be fixed. Kathleen clicked on her radio. "_Star Fall_, this is Sierra one-one-three. My pelican has been hit and disabled."

"_Understood Sierra, please send us the location of your craft and we'll pick you up."_ The communications officer sounded nervous, her voice shaking a bit.

"Not necessary,_ Star Fall_. I'll come to you." Kathleen moved to the rear opening and pulled herself down to the bottom of the ship. She managed to find handholds over most of the ship, and where she couldn't, she made them. She set her feet against the bottom of the ship and looked down where _Star Fall_ was passing below her. She calculated its velocity and shifted a bit. She smiled as the Covenant ship moved between her and the UNSC ship.

She couldn't help but smile to herself. The ODST had the motto of 'feet first into Hell' to describe their missions. She couldn't help but realize that what she was about to do fit that perfectly. She would be diving straight into Hell, though, not feet first. Kathleen set her feet against the ship's bottom and pushed off, diving straight for the Covenant ship.


	10. Drowning

**100-challenge  
Prompt 010: Breathe again  
Title: Drowning**

* * *

She had hit the water like a rock, and the force had knocked her senseless. She knew that he hadn't meant to do it, but it had happened. He'd pushed her away from the instructor's attack, but pushed her right off the edge of the ridge in the process. She supposed she had been lucky that there had been a lake down below. But she hit hard and couldn't move. Her limbs were numb and the world seemed to spin around her. She felt water fill her lungs as she sank down toward the bottom of the lake.

Kathleen was vaguely aware of the two objects hitting the water near her. She tried to move her arms but found them limp and numb. She wondered if she'd hit the water hard enough to sever her spinal cord, paralyzing her. Something moved above her and her instincts urged her to do something, to take action. She tried to move her arms, put up a defense as the shadow grabbed her right arm, but her muscles wouldn't listen to her brain. Something grabbed her other arm. The downward force that was dragging her to the bottom became two forces pulling her up toward the surface.

Kathleen's head moved above the water, and she tried to take a breath, but her lungs were full of water. She grabbed at whatever she could and managed to grab a bit of cloth in one of her hands. The two pulled her to the shore and she felt her back land on something somewhat soft and warm. She opened her eyes and two figures leaned over her. She coughed and her hand went to her throat.

She tried to turn on her side and the two people helped her. She felt some of the water leave her throat and she continued to cough until she'd gotten as much out of her system as she could. She fought to take breaths and replace the water with air. One of the two people chuckled and Kathleen struck out, hitting the closest trainee.

"Well, seems Kathleen's good as new." Will chuckled and put a hand on Kathleen's back. "Did you break anything when you fell? That was one hell of a fall."

"I'm fine, and I wouldn't have fallen if not for him." Kathleen waving her arm at Fred, who was still rubbing the side of his face where Kathleen had hit him.

"Hey, I was trying to save you. The whole damn plan went south when that extra squad showed up." Fred crossed his arms. "John ordered us to fall back; we can just consider this as us falling back."

"Easy for you to say, you weren't the one that was pushed off a cliff. You jumped." Kathleen slowly moved to a sitting position and moved her back and neck, satisfied that nothing was broken. She was still taking deep breaths and periodically coughed up a bit of water. "When I can breathe again, I'm going to kick your ass."

Fred frowned and after a moment stood up. "I'm going to move away from here. I'll report to the squad leader and see what his new plan is." Fred took off at an all-out run across the sand and toward the forest.

Kathleen watched him run off, then lay back down on the sand, enjoying the warmth of the sun. Being nearly drowned in the water had left her soaked and cold and the sun's rays were a welcome heat source. Fred would be back soon with new orders for them. Until then, tough, she would use the time to just breathe.


	11. Friends

**100-challenge  
Prompt 011: Memory  
Title: Friends**

* * *

Kathleen was tired, very tired. They'd been running and exercising all morning. Even the short break that had been their class hadn't been enough time for her to really catch her breath. On top of that, while she'd been watching the lesson someone had stolen some of her crackers, the only food they'd been given all day long. Now she stood in a line with the rest of the trainees. They'd been informed that they were to run an obstacle course and ring a bell.

Kathleen glanced over at the two people beside her. Both of them had black hair and she found it a bit odd that she'd managed to get paired with them. One of them stood looking at the course, seemingly trying to figure out a path. The other looked tired; he might be a problem. She didn't want to lose, she couldn't lose. "Just try to keep up with me." Kathleen turned her attention toward the obstacle course and waited for the signal.

"Don't you worry about that, I don't plan on losing." Will glanced over at Fred, then back over to Kathleen. "I'm Will, by the way."

The other boy finally looked over at them and nodded. "I'm Fred."

"Kathleen; only Kathleen. Call me by any other name and they will never find the body." She glared at them and Will seemed unconcerned. Fred on the other hand seemed a bit nervous.

The signal was given and the trio took off. Kathleen ran and made her way up a cargo net. She waited until the bridge and platforms moved back into place and she ran across. Will and Fred managed to make it across with her. She raced toward the bell and muscled her way past another trainee. Along the way Kathleen shoved another trainee out of the way and grabbed the rope that lead up to the bell. She pulled herself up, hand over hand, higher and higher. Although tired and arms shaking at the exertion Kathleen reached the bell and rang it before grabbing the steel poll and slid down, landing in a pile of cushions at the bottom.

Kathleen scrambled to her feet and she spotted Fred landing beside her. He struggled a bit to try to get out of the cushions. Kathleen took pity on him and grabbed his arm, pulling him to his feet. He gave her a smile and she ignored it. Kathleen turned and ran to the finish line. When she passed the finished line she looked over to see Will and Fred pass it as well. There were still trainees finishing behind them, so she was confident that they would be eating tonight.

Fred slapped her on the back and grinned at her. "You sure can run, Kat. Thanks for not leaving me behind."

Kathleen's fist collided with his chest and he fell down. "Don't call me Kat. My name is Kathleen." She frowned as she crossed her arms. "Of course I didn't leave you behind. We were put on teams. I never leave behind a teammate."

Fred stood up clutching his chest. "Kathleen, right, won't forget it." He took a step back. "So, um…you want to be friends?"

Kathleen stared at him for a moment, trying to tell if he was joking. It wouldn't be the first time a kid pretended to be her friend. Fred seemed to mean it, so she nodded. "Sure, friends."

Will put an arm over both Fred and Kathleen's shoulders. "So then it's settled, friends."

#

Kathleen stared at the obstacle course. She didn't know that day but found out later that the girl she's pushed off the course had been Sheila. The fight that happened the following day was the moment she made friends with the other female trainee, and met Joshua, as he was the one that helped pull Sheila away from the fight. It had taken both Fred and Will to hold Kathleen back.

That was only the start of a lot of good memories that she had with her former team. Though many of them involved her hitting teammates or some mission cooked up by Chief Mendez, she cherished each and every memory. Memories were, after all, the only thing she had left of her lost friends.


	12. There's no way in Hell

**100-challenge  
Prompt 012: Insanity  
Title: There's no way in Hell he's gonna go for this.**

* * *

Kathleen looked over her group of soldiers. They were gathering supplies, opening crates of weapons, and welding armor plates onto the sides of the pair of pelicans they had been given. Kathleen still couldn't believe that they'd gotten the green light for the mission. It was well known how the continuation of the Covenant war was taking its toll on both the UNSC and the Separatists. Maybe they'd just gotten to a point where they were desperate to put an end to the stubborn remaining Loyalists.

The plan was simple, at least simple to her and the ODSS. They'd done similar missions in the past, but never one with this twist. In the past the ODSS had been on and captured a total of 17 Loyalist cruisers, most of which were either stripped down and examined by ONI, or just handed over to the Separatists. This one would be different. They weren't out to capture a ship, though it would be easy to simply capture the ship and then bring their actual target back on it.

Kathleen moved over to a terminal and Maria appeared, dressed for war. The AI tilted her helmeted head to the side. "How can I help you, Sergeant?"

"I want to see our target." It was partially out of nervous habit that she wanted to see the ship. A hologram appeared of the target ship. The _Righteous Intent _was a flagship from the fleet that the combined Covenant and UNSC forces had managed to destroy. It was the only remaining ship.

It was a lucky break for them that it had only been disabled rather than destroyed. On board was the most precious target Kathleen could ask for, a prophet. When Reach had fallen, Kathleen had been informed of the Spartans' original mission to capture a prophet to try to force peace talks. It almost seemed oxymoronic to have forced peace talks, but whatever they could do they need to in order to stop the war.

Kathleen stared at the ship, at the enemy. It somehow made her feel better to know what it looked like, to know what she was facing. She was sure she wouldn't feel quite as comfortable when it came time to actually board the ship. She wondered if the Covenant had any idea what they were planning, if her team would arrive to find a launch bay full of fuel rod guns, brutes, and snipers all ready to take down anything that came in. She was sure there would be honor guards, stealth brutes, but wondered if the chieftains would fall back to assist the honor guards with their duty.

She glanced back at her team who were unpacking M5Bs and DMRs, a weapon that not at all standard for them. She wished they had any SMGs left, but they'd depleted much of their ammunition during the last ground battle. The main problem they had was that the flagship's defense systems were still up, and Maria couldn't jam them. The 'dumb' AI had already apologized for her inability to assist. Kathleen would have to trust Peter's skills as a pilot, and hope that the extra plating would keep them safe.

"All supplies and armor ready, ma'am." David reported. "Ma'am, permission to speak a bit freely."

"Go ahead, Private."

"Capturing a Covenant flagship with little supplies, a busted up modified pelican, no longsword back up, and after having just finished repelling the Loyalists on Sol is brilliant, but insane, even for you." David shifted, obviously fearing that his words would get him in trouble.

"Insane, maybe, but sanity is over rated." Kathleen grabbed Maria from the terminal and slotted her into her armor. She grabbed a DMR and moved toward the pelican. "Get in gear, ODSS, time to move out."


	13. Hunters

**100 Challenges  
Prompt 013: Misfortune  
Title: Hunters**

* * *

"This is just our luck," Luke complained.

Kathleen ignored him, checking over her fuel rod gun. They'd stored up the ammunition for the high-powered alien weapons and she was very glad that they had. They'd just finished off a pair of brute chieftains when two more phantoms had arrived. Each one had dropped four hunters.

The ground shook as the tank like aliens fired their cannons, hitting the wall below them.

"Fuel rods at the ready." Kathleen said as she moved over to the railing of the walkway they were taking cover on. She spotted three hunters down below and motioned to Luke and David. The two ODSS moved over to her side, hefting their own fuel rod guns. Kathleen flashed a green light and as one the soldiers stood up, and unloaded all fifteen shots down at the hunters below.

The armor of the hunters heated and melted. One of the hunters fell, but the remaining two shifted their white hot shields to protect them. Kathleen crouched back down and grabbed a new set of rods for her weapon. She shoved the green rods into the weapon and turned to look down the walk way. Two hunters were slowly making their way toward the group of marines.

"Peter, slow them down. Pat, James, Matthew, at the ready." The soldiers sprang into action. James, Pat, and Matthew moved to crouch down and aim their fuel rods, ready to shoot as soon as the hunters were close enough. Peter opened fire with his sniper rifle, hitting the few open spots in the large alien's armor. The first one fell and the second hunter roared, charging forward. Three fuel rod guns unloaded on the hunter and all that was left was the molten metal of its armor and shield.

The three reloaded their weapons. Kathleen frowned as she looked over their ammunition stock. They only had twenty rods left as back up and had taken down merely three hunters. Luke and David opened fire on the two still below. The blue and orange aliens disappeared in a cloud of green. They reloaded, depleting the reserves to ten rounds.

"We need to draw the rest of them to us. Emily, time to play our rabbit." Kathleen hated to send her soldier out to try to dodge the blasts of the remaining three hunters, not to mention figuring a way to get them to follow her.

Emily nodded, and although Edward flinched as though to stop her, it was too late. She ran down the walkway toward where the remaining hunters were. Kathleen crouched and waited. If they were lucky they would have enough ammunition to finish off the hunters without a problem, though it had taken fifteen rounds to take down just the one hunter that had charged them. The math didn't add up. She did some quick math and surmised that Peter likely only had two more rounds for his sniper rifle. Not enough to take down a hunter. The remaining members of her team only had standard issue SMGs, not useful at all against the armor of a hunter. In the end they would still be five fuel rod shots short of being able to kill all the hunters. She'd have to take a different approach.

She motioned to Tobias and he moved to her side. She shifted the fuel rod gun, nearly tossing it at him. "Two lines of three. Front line will fire on the first, second line will fire at the second hunter. As soon as the third is in view, open fire. Peter, do as much damage as you can. Front line, reload and hit them hard with the remaining shots."

The marines nodded and moved into position, two lines of three with Peter in the back. Emily came bounding up the walkway and the long spiked backs of the hunters poked up behind her as the aliens made their way up the ramp. Emily dashed straight toward the three lines. She leapt over the two rows of marines and rolled, knocking down Edward and Max as she did.

The hunters thudded along the walkway toward them. The marines waited until the first one was within range and fired all fifteen shots. The first hunter fell and the remaining two charged past the scorched corpse. The front line moved back behind the second row. Matthew and James reloaded while Luke, Tobias, and David opened fire on the second hunter. It fell and the last hunter raised its shield to protect itself. Matthew and James opened fire but the hunter kept coming. With all their fuel rods gone Peter shot twice before he ran out of rounds.

"Stay where you are." Kathleen moved past her soldiers and charged at the hunter. The sniper shots had knocked the hunter back. Kathleen armed a plasma grenade and tossed it. The glowing blue ball stuck to the hunter's shield. It continued to charge and although Kathleen turned to run back to her troops it was too late. The grenade went off. The hunter fell as Kathleen felt heat wash over her. She hit the ground and her shield dropped, disappearing. Her back burned a bit, a good sign. Pain meant she was still alive. Kathleen moved to her feet and looked back at the dead hunter.

"Damn, we always have the worst luck." Luke repeated again.

"Look at it this way, soldier. We may have the misfortune of having all these hunters thrown at us, but it means they weren't sent to slaughter a ton of ground troops, or after the Spartans." Kathleen stretched a bit. Her back was burnt but not bad enough to need attention. "Let's move, marines. Let's see what other misfortunes the Covenant have for us today."


	14. Even Spartans smile

**100-challenge  
Prompt 014: Smile  
Title: Even Spartans smile.  
**

* * *

Kathleen knelt, looking around at the soldiers around her. They were all staring at her, waiting for her signal. Kathleen held up her hand and made a fist. Right away the hands of her soldiers went up into the air. She pointed to Max and he answered. "Freeze, a signal to halt." Kathleen nodded and the marines returned to their former concentration.

She clicked the COM twice and once more the hands shot up into the air. She pointed to Peter. "Attention, used to get the attention of teammates." Kathleen nodded and the hands fell.

Kathleen make a short lateral cut with one of her hands across her chest. This time she motioned to Emily. "Stay cool, used to indicate that we should stay calm."

Kathleen flashed three red lights on their HUDs. The soldiers all flinched, as though to back up, then stopped, raising their hands. Kathleen motioned to Luke. "Retreat, used to signal that all units should fall back, usually to a chosen fallback point or the signal is followed by a location." Kathleen nodded her head, and the hands once more fell.

Kathleen slowly shook her head back and forward. When the hands went up toward the sky again she pointed to David. "Trouble ahead, used to signal the approach of enemies or if there is any sort of danger ahead."

Kathleen made a circle in the air with two fingers. She picked Tobias. "Inspect armor. While sensors may give an all clear it is ideal to check over equipment and search fellow soldiers for injuries they may have missed. It is an indication that they should turn around so their armor can be completely inspected."

Kathleen whistled out a six note tune. "Oly Oly Oxen Free." The soldiers chorused as one.

Kathleen motioned to Edward. "The all clear signal. Classified to all outside of this unit."

Kathleen raised up her hand and swiped two fingers across her own faceplate. The marines all sat staring at her, hands limply at their sides. The glanced among each other trying to figure out if any of them knew it.

"Sorry ma'am, I don't think we know that one," Tym admitted.

"It's a smile," Kathleen explained.

"Didn't know that you knew how to smile, ma'am." Kathleen glared at James and he copied her Spartan smile.

"Even Spartans smile. That's enough for today. Hit the showers, before I decide that you all need to run a few dozen more laps around the base." The marines all swiped their fingers over their face plates in a show of a smile and then turned, running off before she changed her mind.


	15. Fallen

**100-Challenge  
prompt 015. Silence  
Title: Fallen**

* * *

They sat in the barracks, slowly putting their things away, cleaning weapons, and checking over their armor. They didn't speak, not a single word. They had returned from combat once more, each trying to keep their mind from the events that were happening.

Kathleen stared down at her knife as she repeatedly ran the cloth over the blade. She made sure there wasn't a drop of blood on the blade. She needed anything to keep her mind off of the events below. She could feel the slight shift of the ship below them. They were just going to leave? That was it?

She felt every fiber of her being scream to stay and fight, but she knew that leaving was the right choice. The planet below was being glassed, they'd lost. Staying would only mean the death of her team and the crew of the ship. She slipped her knife back into its sheath and stood.

The Marines all stood and faced the UNSC and Helljumper flags they'd hung at one end of the makeshift barracks. They saluted the flags and stood in silence. It was a moment of silence for all who had fallen on the planet in the battles they had returned from. Not just their fellow ODST, but every marine, navy, and army personnel who had died evacuating the civilians, or trying to repel the Covenant from the planet.

They stood like that for several minutes. Kathleen lowered her arm and it was a signal to her team. They all moved back to their tasks. Kathleen remained standing, staring at the flags. The UNSC flag had been taken from the supplies and was fresh and crisp on the wall. The ODST flag was tattered, taken from a battlefield and partially splattered with human and elite blood.

Kathleen sat back down on her cot, staring around at her silent team. She felt the acceleration of the ship. They were moving into slipspace, as far away from the Covenant as they could get. She brought up a list of planets on her HUD, crossing out the planet currently being glassed. She looked over the list. So few of the planets were left, and the less there were, the closer and closer to Earth the Covenant got. It was all just a matter of time.

Kathleen closed her eyes, listening to the shuffle of supplies. Slowly, it stopped, and the room fell completely quiet. The empty air seemed to echo the sorrow of the lost soldiers who they had lost on the planet. Kathleen lay back on her cot, letting herself get lost in the silence, drifting off to sleep in the quiet of the lost battle.


	16. Broken Trust

**100-challenge  
Prompt 016: Questioning  
Title: Broken Trust  
**

* * *

There were so many questions that Kathleen had that needed answered. Saran had admitted to her the truth about the Spartan II project, about how it had not failed. There were still so many questions that weren't answered.

She rolled over on her cot, pulling her blanket up higher. She was supposed to be sleeping but her mind just wouldn't calm down. She tried to clear her mind, count elites, tried to focus on the sounds of the soldiers breathing around her. Every time, though, her mind just ran through all of the questions she had.

How many of the Spartans survived? Sheila had obviously lived through the augmentations, but what about the others? Did Will survive, Joshua, John, Kelly, Linda, Grace, or Kurt? Was Fred still alive? How many of them had fallen on the battlefield like Sheila?

There was also the issue of why she was told that the other Spartans were dead. Every reason that she came up with seemed to only show that ONI didn't trust her, or were manipulating her. This was the most disturbing to her. She was supposed to be able to trust ONI, but here they had proven that she couldn't trust them. They had always been given spotty information in combat zones, but they'd known it was spotty; no one was passing it off as perfect.

She was now questioning how much she could believe in their words. Was there any information that they were keeping from her in other areas? Was there anything she hadn't been told about Maria, about Saran? Most importantly, was there any information they were keeping from her in regards to her soldiers? Were they secretly augmented in some way?

Was there really anyone she could trust? The only person she felt like she could trust was Saran, but he'd told her everything that he knew. She believed him when he said it was everything. Was there anyone else? Anyone who knew the information that she needed? Maybe she'd have to do some digging on her own, without Maria. The AI might have some sort of programming or orders that would prevent her from helping or report Kathleen if she tried to look for the information.

Kathleen got out of her cot, running a hand over her short hair. The soldiers around her didn't stir. She made her way out of the room and down the hall to the bathrooms. She stood at one of the sinks staring into the mirror. Kathleen had too many questions, about everything. She stared at her reflection, her gaze becoming hard and determined. She'd find her answers, even if she had to find them on her own.


	17. To be Expected

**100-challenge  
Prompt 017: Blood  
Title: To be expected  
**

* * *

It was all that she could taste on her tongue. She'd grown used to the taste over the year, so she hardly noticed it. Her mind registered its presence, noting that it was a bad sign. It was a sign that something might be wrong with her throat or possibly her lungs, maybe some internal bleeding or injuries to her stomach.

The red liquid coated the inside of her helmet, obscuring her view. She could hear the sounds of plasma through the speakers in her helmet, but she couldn't tell how close they were. She blinked as a bit of the blood dripped into her eye from the cut on her forehead. A bright light filtered through the red and Kathleen got to her feet, rolling out of the way. She heard the thud as the shot from the wraith hit where she had been lying.

A voice crackled over her COM but she couldn't make out the words. It sounded like something about the south and brutes, but she couldn't be sure. She rolled to her feet and felt new pain spike through her body and more copper coat her mouth. She struggled for breath. She knocked her fist against the side of her helmet and some of the static cleared from her radio.

There were soldiers shouting over the radio—brutes were over running their location—a scream, then silence. She cursed and moved to try to find cover. It was hard to tell where she was going with her view obscured. She activated her VISR and the yellow outline of the world around her appeared on the red that coated her view.

Kathleen slid behind a rock and quickly removed her helmet. She wiped a hand over the inside of her helmet, trying to remove enough of the liquid that she would be able to see. She drained her helmet of the bit that had pooled in it. She slipped the helmet back on and the world ahead of her was visible but tinted red. Her hand moved to her side and came away slick. The Sergeant quickly wiped the blood off of her armor and pushed the pain out of her mind. It really wasn't an ODSS mission if you weren't bleeding from at least three places by the end.


	18. Rumble Pit

**100-Challenge**

**prompt 018. Rainbow  
**

**Title: rumble pit  
**

* * *

Kathleen stared at the soldiers before her, glad for the reflective faceplate of her armor. A wide grin spread over her face and she was finding it hard to get it to go away. The only reason she hadn't spoken to them yet was she wasn't sure she could talk without bursting into laughter. They'd decided to try a new form of a game. While they usually broke up into pairs to play multi-team games or split into red and blue teams to train in team slayer games, today they decided to switch things up.

Each soldier had an assault rifle filled with paint pellets. Each soldier had their own color for this game. Tobias had affectionately called the game 'rumble pit'. They'd spent a good half an hour running around shooting each other. Maria monitored them, keeping track of who shot who and where they shot them.

Before Kathleen stood her soldiers, covered in paint from head to toe. It was nearly impossible to see any of the black that was the original color of their armor. Instead, they were all colors of the rainbow. Peter showed a particularly high percentage of the purple from Tym's weapon while Edward was nearly completely covered with the light blue from Emily. What really had her nearly laughing was Luke, who was covered over his top half with pink from Tobias and light blue from Emily. He looked like he was going to leave and greet a new parent, congratulating them on their new baby girl or boy.

The other that had her nearly breaking her calm appearance was Tobias. As though giving him pink wasn't enough, in the end the other soldiers had ganged up on him. While Matthew, Luke, Emily, Patrick, and Max held him down, the others shot him. They were careful about where they shot, making him into a perfect rainbow. Kathleen couldn't help herself, having joined in to fill in the orange. The top of his head was red and it progressed through the colors until his feet were purple. He looked pitiful as he stood in line with the others. While the others looked like tie-dyed shirts, he looked like he belonged on a care bear's stomach.

Kathleen finally managed to control herself enough to speak. "All right, hit the showers."

The soldiers turned and walked off, leaving behind them a trail of rainbow colors. Kathleen shook her head. The game hadn't helped their team coordination, but they'd had fun. She'd keep it in her back pocket and use it as a reward for them if they were well behaved or did particularly well on a mission. Now she just needed to find a way to explain the mess to the techs when she got her armor removed.


	19. The Gray of Battle

**100-Challenge**

**prompt 019. Gray  
**

**Title: The Gray of Battle  
**

* * *

The UNSC had always marked themselves with color green, but Kathleen never thought that fit. Their ships, their weapons, all of it was gray or black. She always thought one of those colors should represent the human soldiers.

Black was already the color of the ODST, so that left the UNSC with gray as their only choice. She understood why they avoided using gray. To most it was a depressing color. Being sad was even referred to as being gray.

To Kathleen gray was a relaxing and comforting color. To her it meant being on a UNSC ship or in a base. It meant having somewhere to rest and a supply of weapons for any fight. It meant medical supplies for when things got too hot in combat. For her it meant something to protect.

Gray meant something else to Kathleen. It reminded her of the rain. She wasn't sure why, but she'd always had an affinity for the rain. It was something she'd only ever told Fred. The rain washed away all the blood and dirt from a hard battle, renewing a soldier for the next fight. She'd loved the falling water since before she'd become a soldier and she'd never lost her love for it. She had so few memories of her childhood, but many of the ones she did remember were of playing in the rain.

There was one other reason she loved the color gray. A reason she'd never tell anyone. The color reminded her of her parents. She knew they were told to forget about their families, but she had never been willing to do that. She had so few memories of them that she held onto them like her life depended on it. In every memory they wore gray UNSC sweat shirts. The gray steel dog tags that were the only reminder of her parents hung around her neck. On the day of their funeral the sky had been gray, but it hadn't rained.

Kathleen entered the ODSS barracks. She looked around at the marines that sat around cleaning weapons, sharpening blades, and chatting. At the sight of their CO they scrambled to their feet and stood at attention. Kathleen examined her soldiers. Most of them wore gray sweatpants and gray sweatshirts with ODST printed on the backs.

She smiled inwardly so it wouldn't show. She had another reason to like the color gray. Whether they had meant to or not, the ODSS had laid claim to the color gray. It fit. The ODSS were the half-way point between the black darkness of the Covenant's arrival at a planet, and the white light of a battle finished. The ODSS were the gray of combat.


	20. Never Break

**100-Challenge**

**prompt 020. Fortitude**

**Title: Never Break  
**

* * *

All through her training Kathleen had been taught to be strong. Not just to be strong physically but to be strong enough mentally. Trained to have the fortitude to overcome anything in her way. She'd been told that in battle she would face the worst that the world could throw at her and she had to stay strong through it all. She'd been beaten by soldiers that wanted information out of her. She never gave them anything other than curses and insults. They'd even gone as far as to break bones.

Kathleen sat in the chair, leaning forward and letting the blood drip from her lips, too tired to raise her head. One of her eyes was starting to swell closed and she could only partially see out of it. Her limbs hurt and she knew it was only a matter of time until they came back to see if she'd changed her mind. She wouldn't give them anything.

The door opened, but Kathleen didn't look up. She heard the footsteps of three of the soldiers. She'd recognized them the first time she'd seen them. They were a company of soldiers that her team were often pitted against. This wasn't just a job for them, it was payback for all the times they'd lost. The soldiers dragged something into the room. Kathleen glanced up hesitantly to see what it was. They dropped Fred onto the ground in front of her. She wondered for a moment if they knew, or if Fred had just been the only one they could catch.

"You going to tell us what we want to know?" The source of the voice walked around behind her. A hand grabbed Kathleen's hair and violently pulled her head up so she was forced to stare at her teammate on the ground. "Tell us what we want to know."

Kathleen remained silent. The man pulled her head back more and Kathleen was looking up at the head soldier behind her. The gruff face of the soldier glared down at her but she stared back at him coldly. The man released her hair and her head moved back to looking down at the ground.

The two other men moved and picked up Fred, raising him to his knees. His head slowly rose and Kathleen locked gaze with him. She could see the blood dripping from a cut on Fred's forehead. They remained silent and he nodded slightly to her.

A fist connected with the back of Fred's head and he suppressed a groan of pain. Kathleen didn't move her gaze from him as they continued to hit him. She watched each strike, memorizing them. It went on for almost a quarter of an hour, with only pauses of a few seconds when the head soldier would ask Kathleen if she'd decided to talk. She never said a word. After some time the head soldier got tired of it. He slammed the butt of his gun into Kathleen's forehead and her head hit the back of the chair behind her. The combined blows turned her world black as she was knocked out.

When Kathleen woke she was no longer in the base. She was sitting in a small crevice in the side of a rock wall. She moved, and groaned as pain shot through her limbs. She felt an odd warmth around her and turned to see an unconscious Fred. Her hand moved up and she checked his pulse; it was there, though a bit weaker than usual. His arms were wrapped around her protectively and his head rested on her shoulder.

If she had to guess she would say it had all been an elaborate breakout plan. Fred got captured and found Kathleen to create a chance for the rest of the team to rescue them. Kathleen's arms moved around Fred to hold him close, sharing her warmth with his slightly cold body.

They hadn't said a word, hadn't been broken even though the soldiers had tried. "The mental and emotional strength in facing difficulty, adversity, danger, or temptation courageously." Kathleen sighed as she recited what they were supposed to always be. It wasn't hard for her to ensure that her fortitude didn't waver when she had teammates like Fred to ensure that in the end she was all right.


	21. Parade

**100-Challenges**

**Prompt 021. Vacation**

**Title: Parade  
**

* * *

Kathleen tugged at her father's arm, trying to get him to move faster. "Come on, Daddy. If we don't hurry we'll get stuck in the back of the crowd." The five-year-old strained to tug on the large man. She and her father had been at the amusement park all day long and were on their way to the final attraction of the day, the parade. It was one of the few times that her father had shore leave, so he'd decided to make a real vacation out of it and have a day of fun with his daughter. It was hard to tell, but they were both enjoying themselves. Kathleen looked frustrated with how slow her father was moving and her father had a perpetual serious look on his face.

"You need to be more patient." Kathleen's father kept his pace steady and slow. There was no way the young girl would be able to pull him anywhere. "We'll get there in time for the parade. There is no need to rush."

"But if we don't hurry then we'll get stuck behind everyone and won't get to see anything," Kathleen whined.

"Enough." The word was forceful and caused Kathleen to stop in her tracks. She stared up at her father, a bit afraid. He looked every bit the ODST he was. He towered over her, rounded imposing facial features frowning down at her causing some of the scars on his face to stretch in an odd fashion. His buzzed blond hair and intense green eyes finishing off the look.

Kathleen stared up at him, remaining silent. Her father's face softened just the slightest bit. He picked her up and her arms clung to his neck. "You're just like your mother." He smiled as he spoke. Talking about or remembering her mother seemed to be the only thing that could make him smile anymore. "She could never be patient. She couldn't wait to start a family, join the ODST, or get into combat." Kathleen leaned against her father's chest, enjoying the feeling of safety and warmth. His features became grim once more. "It probably is what got her killed." Kathleen barely caught the words as he muttered them.

"I miss Mommy." Kathleen clung a bit tighter to her father.

"I do too, sweetheart." He hugged her. "I'm sorry I brought her up. Today is supposed to be happy and now you're sad."

Kathleen shook her head. "No, I like talking about her. If we don't then she'll be forgotten and I don't want to ever forget her."

"I don't think I could ever forget your mother." Her father stopped and stared at the gathered crowd. "Maybe you were right about getting here early."

Kathleen huffed. "Now I won't be able to see anything." She crossed her arms over her chest and pouted.

There was a momentary pause before Kathleen's father lifted her up and set her on his shoulders. Her legs rested on each of his shoulders and her hands wrapped around his head to make sure she didn't fall off. "Can you see now?"

Kathleen gazed over the crowd at the marching band making its way along the parade route." I can see everything." Kathleen giggled happily. "You're the best daddy ever."

"Got that damn right." The two remained in the crowed until the parade ended and they went back home.

The next day her father was shipped out and two days later his pelican was shot down by some rebels with black market rocket launchers. They came to her house the day after to inform her aunt of his death. The funeral was five days later. After a month her aunt had a breakdown and Kathleen was put in the foster care system. Less than a year later Kathleen met Dr. Halsey and her fate was chosen.

She became a soldier and her definition of a vacation changed. It was no longer a day at the park or pool with friends or family. Now it had become only having to deal with grunts and jackals rather than wraiths and hunters.


	22. On Our Side

**100-Challenge**

**prompt 022. Mother Nature  
**

**Title: On Our Side  
**

Kathleen stared up at the sky as it rained down on her. She smiled as she let herself enjoy the way the drops sounded as they hit her helmet. Her armor was coated with mud and alien blood so thick that not even the rain could wash it away. She looked back at her soldiers, who weren't as happy as her. She set her hands on her hips. "What the hell is wrong with all of you?"

"Sorry, ma'am. We're just a bit tired. Three weeks down here, running low on rations, and we just got finished repelling that last wave." Tym sat down on a rock and checked over the bandage on his arm. Max had fixed him up as best he could.

Kathleen looked over her soldiers. Most of them had bandages in visible places or broken pieces of armor. They'd been set to protect the southern bridge into the main city to allow enough time for the full battle company to reach the city and try to repel the Covenant. When they had arrived, Covenant forces had been setting up plasma charges to take out the bridge. Her team had slaughtered the aliens quickly and set up on each side of the bridge. Tobias was in charge of the soldiers on the other end of the bridge.

At first there had been clear skies and the Covenant had started by throwing only grunts and jackals at them. The waves had gotten worse and worse until the brutes showed up. At that point it had started to rain. It made the marine's motion trackers useless and their strategy had to change. There had only been low level brutes at first with troops of grunts with stationary turrets and jackal snipers. The rain grew harder and harder with each wave of Covenant.

Kathleen looked over the tired and soaked soldiers. They may not be happy, but she was glad they were still on the ground. It was the longest engagement they had ever had. Usually the Covenant would have already taken over enough of the planet and just started glassing the place by now, but they hadn't been pulled out yet and the Covenant were still stuck in the city.

Kathleen looked up to the sky as the rain started to fall harder. "Why does nature hate us so much?" Max cursed under his breath as he scrambled to put away his medical supplies.

"Nature doesn't hate us. The clouds give us shadow and the VISR system works in the rain. Nature is taking our side in this fight. This planet is trying to help us keep it from getting glassed. So quit your bitching, get off your asses, make sure your weapons work, and get in position. We are not letting this planet down." Kathleen turned and moved her attention back to the direction the Covenant usually came from.

She stared down at the corpses and muddy ground around them. The wind picked up and the rain became slanted. The mud around them had proven to be assistance for them. The grunts and jackals had issues with the mud slowing them down. The brutes didn't seem to have much of a problem, but the mud softened their charge and they tended to slide as they charged forward. The rain may be drenching her soldiers, and they were running low on rations, but they were winning right now. In the big picture they were losing, losing the war and losing humanity bit by bit. Here and now, though, they were winning. She wasn't going to let this planet down, and as long as mother nature was on their side, she was sure they could do it.


	23. Reason

**100-Challenge**

**prompt 023. Kat  
**

**Title: Reason**

Note: The original prompt is actually Cat but Kat just is so much more fun.

"Come on, you have to have a reason." Fred followed the other trainee. He wasn't going to stop until he had an answer.

"I told you I don't remember why. I just don't like it." Kathleen fought the urge to hit the man on her heels. "Now would you stop asking?"

"Is it because of a traumatic event with a cat?" Fred ignored the growing hostile aura around his teammate. "Maybe there was another girl at your school they called Kat and she was mean."

"I only remember one feline and it was nice. I don't even remember any of the kids at my school so it can't be that." Kathleen turned around a corner to make her way around back toward the locker rooms.

"Well, there has to be some reason." Fred threw an arm over Kathleen's shoulder and grinned. "I'm determined to figure it out."

"I don't see why you care at all. I also don't know why you think I'd tell you." Kathleen glared at the male solider but didn't push him away.

"The reason's the same for both." Fred glanced around to be sure they were alone. He leaned over toward Kathleen so his lips were near her ear and whispered. "Because I love you."

Kathleen's fist slammed into Fred's shoulder and he took a step away from her. Kathleen glared daggers at him and stormed off.

Fred ran to catch up with her. "Hey, Kathleen, slow down. I'm sorry. I forgot you don't like when I say it." He grabbed her arm and she stopped. "Come on, can't you tell me the reason?"

"I mean it, Fred. I don't remember." Kathleen crossed her arms over her chest and scowled at the black-haired man.

Fred frowned at her. "You have to remember a little. I mean even a hint. Give me something, Kat."

Kathleen's fist hit him again and this time Fred fell to the floor. "Are you just trying to piss me off today? You'd think you'd know better." She moved over to his side and he flinched as she knelt down. She didn't hit him, she was relaxed. "If I ever do remember, I promise I'll tell you first." She stood back up and walked away.

"Hey, Sarge." Kathleen's gaze turned to her soldiers and landed on Matthew. "We were wondering something. Why don't you like your name to be shortened?"

"I have my reasons." Kathleen fell silent and Matthew stared at her.

"Will you tell us the reason?" Max asked.

Kathleen didn't answer right away. She could see how eager her soldiers were to hear the answer. It was obviously something they had discusses often but only recently gotten the courage to ask. "I don't remember the reason, only that they exist."

The soldiers seemed disappointed that she didn't have an answer for them. They didn't press the matter further, just let it go without another word.

Kathleen turned her gaze back to the wall across from her. It had been a lie. She remembered her reason for not shortening her name. She hadn't remembered until she'd lost the other Spartans. The loss had brought up memories of her family. She hadn't withheld the information due to any plans or to be mean. She'd only not told them her reason because she hadn't kept her promise.


	24. React

**100-Challenge**

**prompt 024. No time  
**

**Title: React**

* * *

In the middle of combat, everything was instinct. There was no time to think. Pause for even a fraction of a second and you could end up dead. She'd always relied heavily on her instincts. _The first thought it usually the right one. It's your instincts telling you what to do. Always trust your instincts_. Her own words rang through her head.

As the adrenaline spiked through Kathleen's system, time seemed to slow. As soon as she'd caught sight of the chieftain, her body had gone to work. Even with her quicker reflexes she didn't take the time to think her actions through.

In a fraction of a second her mind registered the brute, how close he was, and his raised hammer. A force in the back of her mind urged her to action, and she let it take control. Her instincts guided her in her actions and she trusted them.

Kathleen's foot shifted and her body ducked down. The hammer swung over her head, missing by centimeters. The enemy's stomach was open. Kathleen didn't hesitate before her fist struck the exposed torso. The brute took a step back and Kathleen moved again. Her feet carried her along the familiar path she'd walked many times before.

As the brute shook itself, trying to regain its composure from the hit, Kathleen moved behind it. Her blade sliced through the air in an elegant arc before burying deep in the brute's exposed back. It let out a roar of pain before it collapsed to the ground. Kathleen pulled the knife from the corps. She didn't bother wiping it off. She spun around and saw the group of skirmishers racing toward her location. There was no time for thought.

Kathleen grabbed the grav hammer and ran forward. She lifted the Covenant weapon and there was no time for the skirmishers to react. The hammer hit the ground and the shockwave rippled out, sending the dead jackal cousins flying every which way. She turned so that she was facing the way the skirmishers had come from and backpedaled quickly. She turned round only long enough to jump over the barrier that her team was hiding behind.

"Nicely done, Sarge. Those little bastards go flying with one of those." Luke indicated the hammer. "Where'd you get it, anyway?"

"No time for stories now. Let's just say my instincts rewarded me." Kathleen switched out for her SMG and prepared for more enemies. She was sure as long as she relied on her instincts they would be fine and in no time they'd be back on a ship and heading out of system with all the survivors.


	25. Cat and Mouse

**100 Challenge**

**prompt 025: Trouble Lurking**

**Title: Cat and Mouse  
**

* * *

She moved through the trees as though she was part of the night. Leaves rustled in her wake like a soft wind filtering through the forest. She ducked behind a rock. She'd more of felt the presence rather then saw it.

They'd been playing this sort of game for hours. There were four invisible elites in the forest with her. She'd already assassinated one of them, and now the last three were in a deadly game of cat and mouse. They outnumbered her, but Kathleen had managed to keep them chasing their tails.

Kathleen peeked out from behind the rock. There was a shimmer in the night sky as the head of an elite swung around, searching. She could barely make out the slight figure of the seven foot tall alien on the ridge. Where there was one, the others weren't far away.

Kathleen moved around the rock, blending in perfectly with her surroundings as she moved. She was silent, keeping her eyes and ears open.

The elite was completely unaware of her presence. Something stopped her head in her tracks before she reached her target. She felt like there was trouble lurking nearby. Likely another elite. Kathleen crept back and looked over the area. She clicked on her VISR system. It had been damaged earlier, so she could only use it for short periods of time. Now seemed like the perfect time.

Kathleen caught sight of an elite crouched a couple meters behind the elite on the ridge. It was waiting for Kathleen to attack. Were they really willing to sacrifice the elite on the ridge or would the elite in waiting have struck before Kathleen could get her kill?

Kathleen moved carefully back behind the waiting elite. It didn't hear a thing as she crept up slowly. She pulled out her knife and crouched. In a flurry of motion she was at the elite's back, knife buried in the base of the alien's skull. The body went limp and Kathleen slowly lowered it. If it fell and made any noise then the elite on the ridge would be alerted. That would do her no good.

Kathleen moved up a bit closer to the elite on the ridge. She wondered if the elite had the same feeling that she had earlier. The feeling that trouble was lurking right behind it. If it did, it didn't show any sign. She moved forward like a demon slinking through the darkness. Her knife cut through the elite's side and it tried to turn to face her. Before it could, she moved and the blade stabbed into its throat, causing purple blood to spill forth. The force of the hit sent the dead alien flying and Kathleen pulled back, freeing her knife. She slid back into the darkness, moving off to find the last of her targets and allow it to join its teammates in death.


	26. Emotions

**100 challenge**

**Prompt 026: tears**

**Title: Emotions  
**

* * *

Kathleen was never a big fan of showing emotion. She kept her feelings to herself. To her, to show emotion was a weakness, one she couldn't afford. Any show of joy, pride, affection, or sorrow was never allowed. The only emotion she approved of was anger, the only emotion a soldier needed.

Sheila had never been one to show emotions. She was more than happy to let someone know when she was angry, as was proven the first time Kathleen had met her. They fought many times over the years, but it was their own way of getting along. They were constantly competing with each other, trying to be the tougher. Though at some point over the years, Sheila even stopped showing her anger. Something about that had always set wrong with Kathleen.

Joshua didn't show emotion during exercises, but was bursting with it after a mission. Out in the field, he was cold and sharp like a blade, but when they got back to the base after the mission, he was talkative and clung all over whoever he was around. Kathleen learned early on to drop him off on another trainee, usually Sheila, just to bug her. It kept him from trying to talk to her. Kept him from asking her how she was feeling, if she had thought they'd done well, or if she'd been injured at all. Avoiding such conversations kept Kathleen from knocking him out.

Will was someone that Kathleen had always gotten along with. He wasn't big on anger, but he did like to make jokes and riddles. Kathleen didn't mind them as much. There was something amusing about watching Sheila hit Joshua for contradicting her answer to a riddle. He never forced people to take part, only those that wanted to. Over time, he even learned what kind of jokes Kathleen actually liked. It was the first sign she really had that she was different from the others. Will would make more violent or vulgar jokes around her just to get a smirk. They were the jokes she liked. Over time, it happened less and less. He stopped coming up with riddles and the jokes ceased at some point. It felt like something was lost in their training.

Fred was a completely different story. He'd always been more than happy to praise his team, show his joy, try to show her affection, or show his sorrow after a loss. Kathleen had seen him get frustrated, but never angry. He went against every rule of emotion that Kathleen lived by. She'd tried to teach him to show it less, harden like the rest of the soldiers. She'd hit him whenever he showed any emotion. It didn't really stop him. He just learned to duck.

Kathleen sat in the forest, waiting for the instructors to come and get her. She knew they would. She hated herself at the moment. She'd backed down from a challenge, been a coward. At the moment she didn't feel like a soldier. She felt like a scared little child. The memories of her former team flowed through her head as silent tears streaked down her face. She was almost glad that her team wasn't alive. They weren't there to see her break like this. She hated herself at that moment for being weak enough to show emotion. Her hands went to her face trying to wipe away the tears, trying to make them stop, but they kept coming. She finally gave up and clutched her legs to her chest, letting the tears flow freely.


	27. Waking up

**100-Challenge**

**prompt 027 Foreign  
**

**Title: Waking up  
**

* * *

Everything was so different. She looked around the room. It was all different. She saw detail in the ceilings and walls that she'd never seen before. The lights burned her eyes like staring at the sun and she shut her eyes tightly to try to keep it out. Her body hurt, all the way to the bones. She tried to move but it sent new waves of pain through her.

What had they done to her? She remembered sitting in the infirmary, trying to fight the anesthesia. The drugs had won out and she'd blacked out. She'd woken up, who knows how long later, in pain. Her eyes were bleeding and her body ached. Every movement, every breath, sent new fires of pain through her entire being.

Kathleen took a few deep breaths, trying to calm herself. She noticed that the room she was in wasn't a normal med-room. The walls were all a mute gray and there were no windows. She spotted trays with series of shots of some sort of liquid that she didn't recognize.

The door to the room opened and an ONI doctor that Kathleen didn't recognize stepped in. The doctor stopped, eyeing Kathleen. "So you survived." The words lacked any emotion. Kathleen couldn't tell if the doctor was glad she'd survived or disappointed. "At least one of you survived."

The words confused Kathleen. What did she mean by one of them? Where were the rest of her fellow Spartans? She wanted to ask the doctor, but her mouth wouldn't work. Her head was fuzzy and she tried to focus for a moment.

The doctor administered a shot before leaving. Kathleen lay in the silence, trying to get her bearings. She was alone, everything hurt, and she didn't recognize the staff. She couldn't sit around like this. Kathleen rolled to her side and cursed as pain shot through her. She swung her legs over the side, cursing again as the I.V. tugged at her arm. That would cause issues. She set her feet on the floor and it felt ungodly cold to her. She ignored the discomfort.

Kathleen tried to stand but she fell to the floor. She opened her mouth to let out a cry of pain, but nothing came. She gritted her teeth and tried to pull herself up. Her arms hurt and the pain weakened her. She struggled to her feet. It took her almost ten minutes to finally pull herself to her feet. She was glad she hadn't made any noise. No one had come when she'd fallen. She moved to a chair and found a set of clothing set out. She quickly got dressed and steadied herself on her feet.

Kathleen moved to the door and paused before she opened it. She gathered her strength and moved out into the hallway, staying close to the wall. Each step was a fight against her body. Her legs didn't want to move properly. It was all so different. She looked around and didn't recognize anything. The walls were void of any signs that she was still in UNSC territory, or even who it was that had her. She was surprised to find no one in the hallways. Where was everyone? She pushed the thought from her mind. She wasn't going to look a gift horse in the mouth.

Kathleen moved to what she hoped was the exit of the building. The door slid open and Kathleen screwed her eyes shut. The sunlight burned her eyes and she slowly let herself get used to the light. Her eyes eased open and everything looked so alien. The sky was a bright blue, the buildings a brilliant gray and she could see every crack and patch on the walls. Kathleen groaned. The sight of it all made her head hurt. It was too much information to take in at one time.

"Hey lady, what are you doing out here?" Kathleen looked toward the voice. An ODST moved toward her, frowning. Kathleen took a step away from the soldier. "Calm down, we're just going to take you back to the medics."

"You ever seen this woman before?" A second ODST looked her over. "She must be a new recruit." The soldier chuckled. "Don't be so eager to get back to a beating, fresh meat."

Kathleen glared at him. She was not a new recruit, though at the moment she felt like one. All her training was useless as long as her body wouldn't do what she wanted it to. She tried to take a step away from the man but her legs gave out under her.

The first ODST sighed. "Come on; let's get her back to the infirmary. Don't want her to get in trouble for trying to sneak out." The two soldiers grabbed her arms and she fought against them. "Damn, calm down, marine. We aren't going to hurt you."

Kathleen went stiff at the word marine. She wasn't a marine; she was a trainee of the army. The two soldiers lifted her and she let them carry her back to the infirmary. The doctor looked completely stunned when they carried her in. Kathleen didn't fight as they put her back in her bed and the medics hooked her back up to the machines. The medics didn't stick around, but Kathleen was surprised to find that the ODSTs stayed.

"Why the hell did you run out of here? I know that boot can be hard, but it gets better." One of the ODST said. "Just hang in there."

"I'm not new," Kathleen muttered. The ODSTs glanced at each other then back Kathleen. "I just didn't know where I was when I woke up."

"Ah, I've had that happened. First week of boot an instructor knocked me senseless. Woke up in the infirmary and punched one of the medics 'cause I forgot I was even on base." The ODST laughed. "Well, just stay in bed. Let the medic take care of you. The faster you heal, the faster you can get back to training and then into the field."

Kathleen nodded. "Thank you for helping me." She stared down at the sheets of her bed.

"Don't mention it. We ODST look out for each other." The other ODST grinned.

"How did you know I was a ODST?" Kathleen knew she wasn't a trooper, but she wasn't going to let them know that. They thought they were helping out a fellow ODST and she didn't want to take that from them. She also wasn't sure if they would turn on her if they found out she wasn't one of them.

"Cause you're on an ODST training base, and because your shirt has the ODST logo on the back." The first ODST moved over to grab her shirt and showed it to her. The familiar image of the ODST was printed on the back. "Don't get these unless you're one of us."

Kathleen didn't look up from the sheets. She was on an ODST training base? She knew there was one on Reach not too far from where she'd trained with the other Spartans. She once more wondered what had happened to them. "Not to mention you look like an ODST." The words brought Kathleen's attention to the second marine.

"Yeah, you got that right. You just look like one of us. Not to mention you tried to fight us off when it seems like you are pretty drugged up. That's the ODST spirit. Don't get that kind of stubbornness out of regular soldiers." The ODST laughed again.

Kathleen smiled slightly. "Got that damn right." All the unease that she'd felt earlier was gone. She felt at home with these ODST. She didn't care where she was. These soldiers were welcoming, and it eased her worry.

"Well, we'll let you get some rest. Our Sergeant will kill us if we are any later." The first ODST chuckled.

"I hope he doesn't go too hard on you for being late. I'm sorry if he is." Kathleen relaxed. She found it a bit odd. They often fought ODST back in the old exercises with Mendez, but here she was chatting with them so lightly. She didn't feel at all threatened by them; more…at home.

"Well, if he is, then it was worth it. If we don't stick by each other, then none of us would survive." The ODSTs left, leaving Kathleen in silence.

The fourteen-year-old trainee lay back on her bed. She felt warmed by the loyalty that the ODSTs had showed. It reminded her of her fellow Spartans. She missed them, but somehow she no longer felt alone. If she was going to be stuck here, at least she knew that some of the soldiers here were nice.


	28. Alone

**100 challenges**

**Prompt 028 Sorrow**

**Title: Alone**

* * *

Kathleen stood before the casket. The words of the priest didn't register in her mind. She stared at the simple box, draped with a UNSC flag. She felt empty inside. As empty as she knew the coffin was. His body had been lost in the fire. The tags that hung around her neck were the only piece of him they'd been able to find.

The marines moved up on both sides of the casket. Two of them picked up the flag, stepping to the side before folding it skillfully. One of the marines moved over before Kathleen. He knelt down and handed the folded flag to her.

Kathleen took the flag, clutching it to her chest. She could feel the soldier's eyes on her. She ignored him, staring at the coffin. She wasn't sure when the marine moved away, when the soldiers left, or the priest departed.

She watched as the coffin was lowered into the ground, clutching the flag tighter. The flag was all she had left of her father—it and the dog tags that now felt like lead weights around her neck. She'd added the tags to the same chain as the tags that had belonged to her mother.

Kathleen stared at the hole blankly until her aunt shook her gently. Kathleen was snapped out of her daze and glanced up at the woman. Her aunt smiled sadly. Kathleen knew it was a lie. The woman spoke, but Kathleen didn't really hear the words. She got the meaning, though. Her aunt wanted to leave.

Kathleen refused to let the woman lead her away. She continued to stare at the grave, as though waiting for the coffin to rise again to find it all a lie. To find her father still alive. As she stared down at the hole, she felt a sorrow like none she'd ever known. Her family was gone. She'd usually lived with her aunt, but she'd always felt like a stranger in her home. She'd only ever felt truly at home with her mother or father. They were both gone now.

The first drop of water hit her cheek. It was soon followed by another, and a moment later it was raining, heavily. Kathleen heard the cry of surprise from her aunt. She felt the woman pull on her arm and Kathleen didn't fight her this time. She could have stood out in the rain forever, just letting the planet cry the tears she couldn't seem to find.

Kathleen looked back at the grave, watching as the cemetery staff hurried to put up a shelter to keep the open grave from flooding. She was pulled into a car and sat in the seat, trying to pull herself up on the seat to look out the window at the grave. She was pulled back and she could hear the scolding of her aunt. Something about shoes on the seat. She didn't care.

Kathleen settled down in her seat, leaning back and letting herself go a bit limp. The sorrow was still there, and she still felt water running down her face. She realized that she was crying. At the realization of her tears, the sorrow took hold. The tears quickly turned to crying and soon she was slumped over, sobbing. She sat beside her aunt, weeping for her fallen family. Her aunt never made a move to comfort her, letting Kathleen loose herself in the sorrow.


	29. Approval

**100 challenges**

**Prompt: 029 Happiness**

**Title: Approval**

* * *

It was not something she liked to show. Any slight glimpse from her was a gift that was allowed only for great leaps in improvements or difficult victories. It took her some time to learn when to show it at all. When it had all started, she'd just not felt it, but as her soldiers improved, fell into line behind her, and strived for her approval, that changed. Slowly, the sorrow of her loss had been replaced by pride in her team, pleasure in their success, and eventually, one day she came to the realization. She was happy, maybe even happier then when she had been a Spartan.

She'd read over all their reports, every bit of information she could get on them. They were diverse, but every one of them was marine to the bone. She'd never realized she'd been missing it. She'd thought being a soldier would be enough, but she'd never felt a fulfilled when she was a navy soldier.

Kathleen dashed across the open field, glancing back over her shoulder. Emily passed her and the others were close on her heels. She kept her expression neutral, but inside she was overjoyed. When they'd started, the soldiers hadn't been anywhere close to being able to keep up with her; only Emily had stood a chance, and she hadn't had the endurance at the time to keep it up. Now, they were keeping pace with her, and Emily had become faster. Kathleen wondered in the back of her mind if the female marine was faster than even Kelly. She wasn't even sure if Kelly was still alive. Oddly, the thought didn't sadden her at all. The Spartans who had once been her family were like a distant memory, just friends of the past that were gone. There was pride in her new family, though. At some point the Spartans had stopped being brothers and sisters in her mind. To her, she had ten brothers and one sister, her ODSS.

They reached the end of the finish line of the dash and Kathleen nodded to Emily. There was just a slight change in the woman's stance. She stood up a bit taller, her movements were more crisp, and the slight hint of a smile tugged at her lips. Emily knew better than to show her enjoyment of the slight bit of praise. Kathleen turned to the rest of her soldiers and remained neutral to them. The approval directed at the female solder had an effect on them as well. A few shoulders slumped, but in a second they'd all stood up a bit taller and their faces had changed to looks of determination.

Kathleen didn't really understand it, but she wouldn't question it. The soldiers all wanted her approval, and she couldn't fathom why. They went against her orders from time to time, and although she'd never admit it, she sometimes approved of their choice to go against her. They only ever did it when not willing to back down from a challenge, when proving how good they were. It was hard to fault a soldier for having guts, not that she couldn't still chew them out for it later.

Not that they weren't ever causal with her. It had taken time, but she'd learned to relax around her soldiers. When she did, she saw who they really were. They weren't fighting for approval, just normal soldiers who were getting closer and closer by the day. Each battle seemed to strengthen their bond. She found it interesting how different they could be outside of combat. Peter and Luke fought, almost constantly, yet on the field of battle they were a smooth and effective team. Emily and Edward were actually quiet most of the time, unless someone made a joke or said something that annoyed Emily. In that situation Edward always played the man that stopped the violence, contradictory to his style of suggesting even more violence in the field. Despite the rivalry in training and in the field Tobias and Tym proved to be close friends. Matthew had proven to be very vocal in his opinions, even disagreeing with Kathleen on situations, while on the field he'd always been one of the few soldiers that followed orders. She'd also found through observation exactly how close that some of her soldiers were to each other. They'd never made an attempt to hide it, and she'd never shown disapproval.

Pretty soon, she found herself being a bit more open with them as well during those casual times. She'd joked with them, teased her soldiers, talked about their recent missions, and even voiced her disdain for ONI and the high command.

She called an end to training and reminded her soldiers that the fields would be in use, along with the gym. They often did after-training training, some part of that whole wanting-her-approval thing she didn't get. They made their way to the locker room and the marines got to work changing out of their gear. Kathleen hung back, watching her soldiers. Like a switch, they seemed to turn from the determined, stiff soldiers they were during training to the relaxed, open soldiers they were off the field.

Kathleen smiled to herself. This was her family now, and she was happy here, with them. Peter walked over to her and raised an eyebrow. "What are you smiling about, ma'am?"

Kathleen let the smile fall from her face. "Just thinking about how I kicked all your butts in training today. At this rate you'll never catch up." Peter looked dejected, but not as much as she used to expect. At some point several of her soldiers had come to par with her skills, or surpassed them, in some fields. Peter knew he couldn't run as fast, or beat her in hand-to-hand, but he'd shown in training that he was a better sniper than her.

"You won't beat us next time." Kathleen turned to the voice, to see Max, who was grinning like an idiot. In this situation, he sort of was one. He was skilled as a medic, but he couldn't come ahead in any offensive training. Though she had to give him credit, he had guts for making the proclamation when he didn't have any offensive skill.

"Ha." The laugh was mocking. "In your dreams." The determined look flashed over the face of her soldiers. Kathleen kept the smile from her face this time. Yes, she was happy, but she wouldn't let them see it.


	30. Moment of Calm

**100 Challenge**

**Prompt 030: under the rain**

**Title: Moment of calm  
**

* * *

Kathleen shut her eyes and let the rain fall against her skin. She let the natural rhythm calm her. She was slightly aware of the eyes that were watching her, but she ignored them. She could feel the water soaking her and she felt the chill start to set in, but she pushed the discomfort aside.

"You should get under cover." Kathleen looked back at the voice. Fred moved out from under the shelter to join her in the rain. "You're getting soaked, and you don't have fresh clothing. You'll get sick." She noticed he kept a safe distance away from her, wary of her striking at him. Smart boy.

"I'm fine." She turned her gaze back to the sky above. Silence hung in the air and she could feel his desire to fight her on this issue but he held his tongue. "I like the rain."

She could feel his eyes studying her. He did it often when he thought she wasn't paying attention. "Why?" She heard him come up behind her, closer than she normally would have allowed but the rain seemed to calm her usual discomfort.

"Because it reminds me of my parents." She frowned a bit as she remembered them. "It rained both times."

"You remember your parents?" Fred's voice conveyed his surprise. "What do you mean both times? Both times of what?"

"It rained at their funerals." The words were simple and slightly cold. When she'd been younger Kathleen hadn't understood it. How had she been so unlucky to lose both of her parents? But since becoming a soldier herself, she understood. It was in her blood, it made her happy, and she was willing to put down her life as a soldier. John had proven that sometimes luck was what really mattered, though really Kathleen never believed in it.

Arms wrapped around Kathleen's waist and she thought of pushing Fred away. He pulled her against him and she allowed herself to lean into the contact. She let herself enjoy the warmth that radiated off of him and warmed her soaked body.

"John thinks that something is going to happen." Fred's voice was quiet. "Says he thinks we are moving on to the next part of our training."

Kathleen frowned at the news. "I'm sure whatever it is you'll do fine."

Fred hugged her a bit tighter. "I'm more worried about you."

Kathleen's elbow slammed into Fred's stomach. "I don't need you to worry about me." Kathleen glared down at the bent over trainee. He rubbed at his side and straightened up, looking embarrassed. On some emotion that Kathleen didn't want to admit she had, she moved forward, pulling Fred to her. She brought their lips together. Fred's arms wrapped around Kathleen and pulled her closer as he returned the kiss.

The kiss broke and although Kathleen moved to pull away Fred held her close. She let him as he buried his face into her neck. "If the rain always makes you like this, I could learn to love it." He was forcefully pushed away by Kathleen. Fred grinned and chuckled. "Wondered how long it would be before I messed it up."

Kathleen sighed and leaned over, placing a light kiss on his cheek, causing Fred to grin wider. "I'd be more mad but you look adorable soaked like that."

Fred put an arm around Kathleen's shoulder. "Well, maybe you and I should get out of these clothes and help each other warm up."

Kathleen's elbow met his ribs and he doubled over. "Too far." She walked off leaving Fred kneeling on the ground.


	31. A Visit

**100 Challenges**

**prompt 031: Flowers**

**Title: A Visit**

* * *

Kathleen held the bouquet in her lap. She stared down at the flowers, trying to keep her mind off why she had them in the first place.

She glanced over at her father. He'd been silent since they'd left the house. His eyes were fixed on the road but he didn't look like he was seeing it. His gaze was distant and his features grim. She hated when he was like this.

Kathleen's gaze turned back to the flowers. She didn't understand why people liked them so much. For her, they only reminded her of the times like these, sad times. The last time she'd been around flowers had been at her mother's funeral. She really didn't want to think of that day. Her father had been so out of it when the marine had gone to hand him the folded flag he hadn't taken it. The marine had given up and given it to Kathleen instead. It had unsettled her to see her father like that.

The car came to a stop. Kathleen didn't move right away, she didn't want to. She heard the car door open as her father got out. He opened her door a moment later and she knew she no longer had a choice. She got out of the car, still carefully holding the flowers.

They moved across the quiet landscape, Kathleen followed reluctantly behind her father. He stopped and she nearly ran into the back of his legs. She peeked out hesitantly form behind him. She hid behind him as though afraid of the stone before them.

Kathleen tentatively moved out from behind him and approached the tombstone. She wasn't sure exactly what she should do. She just stared at the stone, fighting to figure out what she should do. She took a deep breath and spoke. "Hi, mom."

Kathleen looked back over her shoulder. Her father smiled slightly and she took it as a cue to keep going. She turned back to the grave and struggled to find something else to say. She felt a bit silly talking to a rock and calling it her mother. Her gaze turned to the flowers for a second. "We got these for you." Kathleen frowned to herself. What did this hunk of stone care about flowers? She set the bouquet at the base of the grave and moved back to her father's side.

He knelt down to her level and gave her a slight smile. It didn't show joy or happiness, but conveyed his satisfaction with her actions. "She would have loved them."

Kathleen moved toward her father, throwing her arms around his neck and hugging him. His arms wrapped around her, giving her some level of comfort. She didn't understand any of it. They'd said this would help her but she didn't feel any different. Her mother was still dead and she was talking to a rock.

Kathleen felt her father pick her up and she clung to him tighter. He carried her away in silence. "I hate flowers," Kathleen muttered.

Her father shifted her to hold her closer. "Why would you say that?"

"Because they remind me mom's not here." Her father didn't reply to the comment. "Dad, why did mom leave us?"

Her father didn't answer right away. "She didn't leave us by choice. I'm not going to give you some fluffy lie like she did it for us. Truth is, she was a soldier long before I met her. Being a soldier is a part of this family, it was in her blood, in my blood, and is in yours. She did love us, but she could never have given it up, and she wouldn't have been happy if she did." His voice became softer. "Unfortunately, part of being a soldier is risking your life. Some soldiers survive until an old age. Your mother just wasn't lucky enough."

Kathleen leaned into her father, letting him carry her full weight. "I'm glad she was happy." Her father lifted her up and carried her back to the car. Kathleen stared over his shoulder as the grave shrank behind them.


	32. Darkness

**100 Challenges**

**Prompt 032: Night**

**Title: Darkness**

* * *

Kathleen moved through the darkness like she was part of it. She really did love the nighttime. It was when she was most effective. She darted from tree to tree, being sure to keep low as not to be seen. She moved with the shadows and the leaves as the wind blew through them, covering the sound of her own movements.

She neared her target and slowed. She moved down to her stomach and moved forward. She looked up and frowned as the canopy of the trees blocked her views of the stars. She'd have to trust that she was on course.

She eased through the darkness until she could hear the faint breathing of her target. Her foe would never even see the strike coming. The other thing she liked about the night was that her enemy usually was asleep, or at the least tired. Both of them meant mistakes, openings for her, and made her job easier.

Kathleen struck out and her hand smacked the back of the man's head. Peter's head hit the ground and he let out a yelp of surprised "Who said you could fall asleep on watch?" Kathleen stood up, towering over her soldier. "And you yelp like a little girl."

The trainee rolled over and looked up at his squad leader. "Sorry, ma'am, I must have dozed off. It won't happen again." Kathleen heard him mutter something about how he wasn't a little girl.

"You've still got another two hours left of watch Try to stay awake or you'll be doing pushups while on watch." She was satisfied when the trainee stiffened. "If I catch you again, you'll also be on hunting duty tomorrow with Max."

Peter frowned and furrowed his brow. "Max? But he isn't willing to kill things."

"Exactly, meaning the whole time you'll have Max in your ear whining about how he doesn't want to kill a poor defenseless animal." Kathleen smirked. "Now get back to it." She didn't wait for a reply. Kathleen turned on her heels and marched off, leaving Peter in her dust.

She moved through the trees, no longer trying to be silent. The more warning she gave to her soldiers at their base the better chance they wouldn't attack her, or maybe the better chance they would. They seemed to do that a lot.

She spotted the campfire and moved out into the small clearing they were using. They'd been dropped off for a week of survival and random attacks from Saran's soldiers. All in all, it had been a rather fun week so far.

Kathleen found the clearing empty, not a single soul around the fire. She sat down and stared into the flames, keeping her ears open. She heard them return and looked up, finding the fire once more surrounded by her trainees. "Where were you?"

"We had to be sure you were you. Can't expect that Saran's soldiers are always going to be quiet." Tobias grinned. Though also an empty camp would confuse them.

Kathleen nodded, simply agreeing with the decision. "Caution is important." The group fell silent and a few of them lay back on the ground to stare up at the stars. Kathleen turned her attention back to the fire, letting herself enjoy the silence.


	33. Don't Care

**100 challenges**

**Prompt 033: Expectations**

**Title: Don't Care**

* * *

Kathleen huddled as far into the dark space as she could. She wanted to hide from all of it. Hide from her new family, from their disapproving attitudes of her tom-boyishness, from their looks of pity, from all of it. Her new family wasn't at all what she had expected, and she wasn't what they had expected.

She'd been up late at night and had heard them arguing. She hadn't lived up to their expectations, and she didn't want to. They wanted her to be a girly girl, which she refused to be. She wanted to wear jeans, t-shirts, and play tough games with the boys. Though most of the time the boys wouldn't let her join their games.

Now she was hiding in the attic, hoping that they wouldn't find her. If they did she was sure her new foster mother would be mad that she'd gotten her dress dirty. Kathleen glared down at the garment and felt hatred for it. It was so girly, so not her. Her new parents had insisted that she wear it.

No, she didn't consider them her parents; they were just her new caretakers. They were like her aunt had been, the person who gave her shelter and food, but not family. If she really wanted to, she was sure that she could take care of herself. She could hunt; her father had showed her how to properly cut and cook wild game when he'd brought home some rabbits after a hunt. She could find empty buildings that she could live in or a cave somewhere that she could use for shelter. Water wouldn't be an issue—it could be found anywhere—and she was sure that fire wouldn't be that hard.

Kathleen pushed those thoughts from her mind. She couldn't just run away. That felt like a cowardly thing to do. These new people may not like who she was, but they had taken her into their home of their own choice. It seemed rude to repay them for that by running away, no matter how unhappy she was.

The doorway into the attic opened and Kathleen tried to get deeper into the darkness. A person moved into the attic and started to search around. He moved boxes and sent dust flying into the air. Kathleen coughed as the particles entered her airway. The man turned and walked toward her location.

Kathleen tried to stay still, hoping that he still wouldn't see her, though she knew it was hopeless. He knew her direction and if he couldn't spot the pale yellow of her dress then he was an idiot. The man stopped beside her hiding spot and knelt down so that he could look in.

Kathleen looked at her foster father and could see the disappointment on his face. "Come on." He motioned for her to get out. Kathleen reluctantly did, crawling out and standing before him, head hanging. "Don't know what she was thinking when she bought you that." Kathleen looked up at him, confused. "I mean, with your hair it makes you look like a lemon, or a banana."

Kathleen looked down at her dress and noted that it sort of would. She paused for a moment before shrugging. "At least I'm a ripe banana." She moved toward the door to leave the attic acting as though nothing was wrong.

She heard him mutter something but ignored it. She didn't care what he had to say about her, her clothing, or her attitude. She didn't care what they expected from her, she was Kathleen, and that wasn't going to change.


	34. Peace

**100 Challenges**

**Prompt 034: Stars**

**Title: Peace**

* * *

Kathleen lay on the soft sand, watching the stars above. She listened to the waves lap against the shore only feet from her. It was so calm out here, all on her own. The Spartan trainees had stranded themselves on the island and were waiting to see how long it would take them to be picked up. Kathleen didn't care. There weren't any enemies around or dangerous animals on the island, so she felt at peace. She supposed that the other trainees were probably telling stories around the campfire, but she had snuck off to lie on the beach, enjoying the tranquility.

Kathleen heard footsteps and she tensed, ready to have to strike. She relaxed as he stopped right beside her and Fred leaned into her line of sight. "So this is where you went." He lay down and turned to face her. "What are you doing out here?"

Kathleen thought about not answering. She didn't really need to answer him, after all. "Just watching the stars." Fred turned to look up at the sky and then back to Kathleen. "Say anything and I hit you."

He hesitated, moving to lie on his back. "They are very nice. You can't see this many of them back on base." Kathleen thought of hitting him for talking when she told him not to, but she decided that it would only break the peace she was currently feeling.

Kathleen let them ease back into silence, focusing once more on the sound of the waves. She felt Fred's hand move over to rest on hers, hesitantly moving to hold it in his. Kathleen let out a sigh and he quickly released her hand. Before he could pull it too far away she grabbed his hand, holding it in place.

She glanced over at him and saw the confused look on his face. "You aren't going to hit me?" Fred's tone was confused, and she could hear a hint of frustration to it.

Kathleen scowled. "Why would I hit you?"

"Cause that's usually how you react when I do stuff like this." He squeezed her hand slightly and she squeezed back hard enough to make him wince.

Kathleen shook her head slightly. "That's 'cause usually you deserve it." She moved their hands to that they were resting on the sand. "Not this time. Now be quiet before I hit you for disturbing my peace." Fred shut his mouth and Kathleen turned her attention back toward the stars above.

She felt Fred scoot closer so that their shoulder's touched. Kathleen let him be, satisfied that they were far away from the others that they wouldn't find out.

Kathleen absently wondered if her parents had ever done anything like this. Laid under the stars together. She frowned as she realized she really didn't know all that much about them before she was born. She pushed those thoughts from her mind. She was lucky enough to remember them at all. Fred had told her he didn't remember anything of his old family. She didn't like the thought that she could forget her parents, or who she had been before she'd become a soldier. She unconsciously squeezed Fred's hand and she felt him squeeze back. She pushed those thoughts from her mind, focusing on the waves and the feeling of Fred's hand in hers, letting herself be at complete peace.


	35. Grieve

**100 Challenges**

**Prompt 035: Hold my Hero**

**Title: Grieve**

* * *

Kathleen had heard the knock on the door and raced toward the door to see who it was. She skidded to a halt at the end of the hallway. She frowned as she found her father had already answered the door. She wasn't used to him being around. He'd come back on shore leave two days ago. Kathleen was glad to have him back, but was more excited that her mother was set to return the next day. It would be the first time in a long time that both her parents would be home.

Kathleen peered around her father to see who the visitor was. She caught sight of the military uniform and ran to her father's side. She clung to her dad's pant leg, holding on tight. The only reason she could think a soldier would be there would be to take her father away.

Kathleen stared up at the soldier, looking for any hint of why he was there. She frowned in confusion as she looked him over. She'd never seen a soldier in dress uniform off base. The soldier looked down at her and she saw a look of regret crossed his features. She clung a bit tighter to her father.

Something was wrong, very wrong. Kathleen turned to look at her father, tugging his pant leg to get his attention. "Dad, what's going on?"

Her father didn't answer right away. "Thank you." The soldier nodded and moved away as her father closed the door. Kathleen waited patiently for him to answer her. He didn't even look at her until the door was closed.

He leaned down and picked her up, holding her close as he walked them to the living room. Kathleen clung to him, getting worried. Her father was never one to act this way. He was somber and held her gently in his arms.

He finally sat down on the couch, setting her in his lap. Kathleen leaned against him, waiting. It was odd to have him so hesitant to speak. She finally leaned back and looked at her father to find out why he hadn't spoken. His eyes were unfocused, and he looked devastated. "Dad?" Kathleen was getting scared now.

"Sweetie, I have some bad news." Her father stopped, collecting himself a bit before continuing. "Your mother was KIA. Do you know what that means?" Kathleen shook her head. "It stands for killed in action."

"Killed?"

He nodded. "Mom isn't coming home tomorrow."

Kathleen frowned, not understanding. "When is she coming home? She can't be on duty forever."

"Kat," the use of her nickname caught her attention. Kathleen's mother had been the only one who had ever called her Kat, her father always called her by her full name. "She's not coming home." Her father's voice was quiet and hesitant.

Kathleen shook her head violently. "No, she has to come home. We're going to go to the butterfly festival this weekend. We're supposed to go as a family." Kathleen was becoming more and more frantic by the second. "You and mom promised." She didn't understand. How could this be happening, how could her mom not come home?

Her father pulled her to him and she wrapped her arms around his neck, holding him tight. She buried her face into his shirt as he held her tighter. The two sat in silence, comforting each other in their grief.


	36. Tags

**100 Challenges**

**Prompt 036: Precious Treasure**

**Title: Tags**

* * *

Kathleen stared down at the tags that lay in her hand. She ran a finger over the worn metal and flipped them over one by one. Each one represented those who had meant the world to her.

Joshua, whom she hadn't liked at first. At the start he'd seemed like an unnecessary addition. He'd proven to be a good teammate. He'd watched her back in training and more than once had helped save her when things went south. It took time, but she got used to having him around. They became friends and Kathleen had become attached.

Sheila, the girl she'd pushed off the course that first day. They'd gotten off to a rough start, ending up in a fight on the second day. Unlike Joshua, when Sheila had been added to their group, Kathleen had accepted her gladly. Over time Sheila had become more reserved, though Kathleen could remember a time when she had been loud and violent. Kathleen had started to miss that more carefree version of her friend, though the more reserved version was a better soldier.

William, one of her first friends during training. He'd always been special. He'd started out as the guy with the joke or riddle, but he'd hardened over time into a steadfast teammate. Kathleen had liked the way he was when she first met him, but she preferred the colder version. He was a strong determined soldier, and he'd never failed her. He was even willing to go with her more destructive ideas to get missions done. Time had also changed his sense of humor. While it seemed to most that it had simply gone away, Kathleen had noticed it really had just become more dark and rare. She'd heard him make jokes , or what passed for jokes, about soldiers they'd just knocked out. Comments about how he could have killed them before they could finish saying some curse word or do some lewd action. Kathleen supposed that he'd only made these jokes around her. She probably was the only trainee that would find them funny.

Fred, the man who for years she'd loved and hated at the same time. He'd been chosen to be their leader, and she sort of saw why. He could be a good strategist, but he was so reluctant to put injured soldiers in the field and shouldered too much blame when his troops were hurt. She'd tried to push him past those faults, make him the leader she saw he could be, but he just couldn't break those habits. She'd watched as John, Kurt, and Jerome had all passed him. She supposed that all that didn't matter now. Even so, over that time he had found his way into her heart. Despite her trying to push him away, he stuck with her and she'd fallen hard for him. He made her feel warm in the coldest of times and she believed he was the one thing that had kept her human through the Spartan training. He'd loved her for the destructive pushy woman she was, and deep down she knew that it was because of that fact that she had stayed the same since the day she'd joined the Spartan program.

Her father, the man who had done his best to raise her while still being an active duty soldier. She had memories of weekends at festivals, carnivals, and parks. She could remember showing her father tests from school and seeing his satisfied smirk as he would then point out the questions she got wrong. She knew that he was proud, but he wanted her to improve so he was being harsh. She never really let it get to her. She still could remember hearing him argue with her aunt at night. She'd never been able to understand what exactly they were arguing about, but she could swear she'd heard her name said a few times.

Her mother, who she knew so little about. She had stories from her father, and had seen pictures. She had a few memories of the woman, things like her mother smiling at her, taking her to the park to see the newly hatched ducklings in the spring, and watching her mother leave for duty. Kathleen wished she knew her better, had had more time. Since becoming a soldier she felt closer to her mother than ever before.

Kathleen shifted the tags, grabbing the chain and lifting them up. She slid the chain over her head and let the tags hand from her neck. These were her precious treasures, her reminders of the fallen.


	37. Sniper

**100 Challenges**

**Prompt 037 Eyes**

**Title: Sniper**

* * *

Kathleen could feel eyes watching her, but she couldn't tell from exactly where. From the way her team kept looking about, she knew they felt it as well. She knew what this was about, but she tried to ignore it. "All right, we're playing a game of sniper today." The soldiers nodded and moved off. Several set up bases and Peter vanished somewhere.

Kathleen checked over her suit, making sure that it was working properly. They'd found them some time ago, a prototype that had been scrapped but she'd found another used for. Originally it was supposed to be the under layer of the Spartan armor, but there had been a breakthrough and a more flexible under layer had been designed so these had been scrapped. In truth it was uncomfortable, very stiff and tight, making it hard to move. On top of that, it had circuits in it, which they'd found could be used to add resistance to their movements, making it even harder. This had been useful to them. Maria could just plug in and up the resistance, making it easier to continue training without having to get new equipment, allowing them to continue to improve.

"Maria, adjust our suits, about the level that they'd like to see from us." Kathleen flexed her hands and felt the movements become a bit easier. "Thank you." She moved to join her now gathered group. "All right, you all know the rules." The soldiers nodded and Kathleen knew they were ready. If people were going to watch, they'd give them a good show.

Kathleen took off at a run, heading toward the first marker. She could hear the breathing and steps of her soldiers behind her. Kathleen suddenly dropped down, just as a sniper shot cut the air where she'd been. She had to admit that Peter was getting better, but so was she. By far, sniper was really her favorite game that they played. It was an exercise based solely on reaction time and instinct. She glanced back and watched as her soldiers skidded to a halt here and there, expertly dodging Peter's shots. She wasn't the only one getting better.

She heard a curse behind her as Max was hit, and lay down on the ground, cyan paint splattered over his arm. One down, nine more to go. Slowly, one by one, the soldiers fell, though it lasted longer than it usually did. Kathleen purely attributed this to the fact their suits had lightened up on them, allowing them to react faster to the cues their instincts gave them.

Three hours later it was down to only four. Emily, Edward, David, and Kathleen were the only soldiers still running from marker to marker, dodging shots. It wasn't much longer before a shot clipped David's ankle and he lay on the ground, making that he was dying.

Through it all, Kathleen could still feel those eyes on her. She wondered if they would ever leave, or if they were going to stay until the end. She was so caught up in her thoughts that she didn't duck fast enough and a shot splattered against her shoulder, coating her shoulder and upper arm in blue paint. She reluctantly moved over to the side and watched as Emily and Edward continued to run around the practice yard.

Kathleen watched them carefully; more specifically, she watched Edward. He was always particular about which side of Emily he ran on and it hit her. He was moving between Peter and Emily, protecting her. Memories from the past, mainly Fred hovering over her protectively while she set a charge or did some task, flashed through her mind, quickly followed by memories of elbowing or punching the other Spartan to get him to back off. Apparently Emily felt the same way as she realized it and almost too fast for Kathleen to see, elbowed the blond man in the stomach. He doubled over and a second later black paint splattered over his back. Kathleen heard Edward mutter something about cheating before he lay down on the ground, pretending to be dead.

Emily moved to the center of the training ground, grabbing the DMR from where it lay. She ran forward and took aim. Red paint splattered along the side of her head but she got off one shot. Kathleen stood and whistled. The soldiers quickly formed up on her and she looked them over. They all had been hit by paint, a few a couple other times by stray shots from Peter while trying to hit those still in the game.

Peter joined them and glared at Emily. "Lucky shot." He raised his hand up, whipping away some of the yellow paint that coated the front of his helmet

Emily grinned at him. "No, that's victory." She poked him between the eyes and he flinched. "I might have survived a clip to the side of the head, you would be dead." She turned and walked away.

"So Sarge, think we gave them a good show?" Tobias grinned, glancing around.

Kathleen shrugged. She no longer felt the weight of eyes watching them. "I don't know, and I don't care. I hope they weren't watching because that was pitiful." She shook her head and moved toward the showers, her soldiers falling into line behind her.


	38. Left Behind

**100 Challenges**

**Prompt 038: abandoned**

**Title: Left Behind  
**

* * *

Kathleen sat alone, waiting for anyone to come for her. She sat on the familiar plush white couch, alone and abandoned. Memories of her Aunt scolding her for eating on the furniture resurfaced in her mind and she frowned. Kathleen drew her legs up, knowing that she would leave dirt on the fabric where her feet touched. That would serve her Aunt for leaving her here like this, with no one.

Kathleen listened to the sounds around her, wafting in from the open window. She could hear a dog barking, people laughing, and the sound of cars passing by. The world was moving on, completely unaware that she even existed. She'd never felt so alone or unwanted before, and it hurt.

She thought back to that morning, wondering what had happened. She'd woken up like she usually did. Got dressed, brushed her teeth, gathered her stuff and gone to the kitchen. There she had found her aunt, sitting at the table and staring at the wall like a statue. Kathleen had watched for a few minutes but her aunt didn't even seem to realize that she was there. Kathleen had decided to ignore the situation and left for school.

When Kathleen had arrived home her aunt was gone, not a trace of where she'd gone, not even a note. Kathleen had sat down on the couch, and decided to wait. It was three hours later when she realized that her aunt wasn't coming back. She decided to wait and see if anyone would show up, tell her what happened, help her.

That had been two hours ago. Kathleen was starting to think that no one was coming, that no one knew she existed at all. It then hit her. Had her aunt ever really spoke of her to anyone? _Did_ anyone know that Kathleen was in her aunt's care? Kathleen hugged her legs to her chest, unsure of what to do.

The door finally opened and Kathleen looked over. Two police walked into the room and spotted her. One of them moved back to the door and shouted out to a third person. The third figure wasn't dressed like a police, rather in a casual pair of jeans and shirt. He looked relieved to see her, though she didn't know why.

The man moved over to stand before Kathleen and then knelt before her. She studied him, trying to remember if she knew him. He looked kind and caring, as though he was generally concerned. Definitely not someone Kathleen knew. "Hey there, are you Kathleen?" His voice was quiet and soothing; she almost wanted to hit him for it. He didn't need to be careful with her; she wasn't fragile, just alone.

Kathleen glared at him from behind her knees. "Yeah, I'm Kathleen. Who are you?"

"My name is Carter, I'm a social worker. Do you know what that is?" More of that patronizing tone. Kathleen remembered her father saying something about social workers. She nodded her head and he continued. "Well, your aunt is in the hospital. She can't take care of you anymore. So you'll need to come with me."

Kathleen hesitated, not sure if she could trust him. She glanced over at the police and finally stood up. Her father had always told her to trust the police, and this man was with them, so she'd have to trust him. The man took her to the orphanage. She never found out what happened to her aunt, and never really made an attempt to find out.

Kathleen sat, fourteen years old, and once more alone and abandoned. The Spartans were all dead, and she was all that was left. There were no people here, just the quiet of an empty room; the slight hum of electricity from the panel on the wall was the only sign that time flowed on. She sat, once more feeling so detached from the world. At least this time she knew someone knew she existed…she hoped.


	39. In the Night

**100 Challenges**

**Prompt 039: Dream**

**Title: In the Night**

* * *

Kathleen ran across the battlefield, blood pounding in her ears and heart beating wildly. She felt so alive. Wraiths fired and she dodged out of the way of each strike. She covered the open distance quickly, sliding down into the ditch they were using for cover. "Blow it."

Tym nodded and thumbed the detonator. The ground shook under them as the mines went off, destroying the line of wraiths. The solders around her readied their weapons. Kathleen slipped a new clip into her DMR and prepared. There were over two hundred Covenant out there for them to fight. She grinned behind her visor, thrilled by the challenge. She pulled herself up out of the ditch and ran toward her enemies.

Kathleen skidded to a stop, right before she reached the edge of the lake. She knelt down, trying to see the ducklings better. They were still small and fluffy, having only been hatched recently.

"Kat, be careful. Don't fall in." Kathleen turned back to the voice. She saw her mother sitting on a bench at the top of the hill, watching her. She was exactly as Kathleen remembered.

Her mother had an air of pride around her. She was a woman who'd found her purpose in life and was happy. Kathleen had always thought that her mother was beautiful. Sharp features, sparkling blue eyes, and short cut brown hair. There was a smile on her face as she watched Kathleen play. For just a moment Kathleen let herself bask in the joy and pride she could feel under her mother's gaze. Kathleen stood up to run to her mother, but she slipped, falling back into the lake.

Arms wrapped around Kathleen and she struggled against them. Her elbow hit something hard and the arms let go. She broke the surface and looked back at the other trainee. Fred coughed as he tried to take a breath without taking in water as well before he swam toward the shore. Kathleen followed behind him watching him, flop down onto the sand.

"You don't have to be so rough." Fred took deep breaths and coughed up the last of the water before he finally relaxed.

Kathleen stood over him, scowling at him. "Take it like a man."

Fred grinned and she could almost hear the dirty joke in his head. He'd at least learned to keep them to himself. "Maybe you should give me mouth-to-mouth." He grinned up at her and she wondered exactly what was wrong with his twisted thirteen-year-old mind.

"In your dreams." She sat down beside him and his grin eased into a simple smile, one of pure content. She lay back with him, deciding they could at least still watch the clouds.

As her back touched the ground she realized that it wasn't sand but grass. She sat back up and was met with the sight of her soldiers sitting around a fire, chatting. She eased into the familiar homelike feeling she got when she was with her soldiers. She was surprised for a minute as a female Spartan arrived. She removed her helmet and Kathleen recognized it as Kelly. Soon Will, Linda, and John all joined them, and they easily fit in with the ODSS.

"I must be dreaming." Kathleen shook her head, leaning back and was surprised to find warmth behind her. She looked back and smiled as Fred's arms wrapped around her.

Fred held her close leaning down to whisper in her ear. "If you are dreaming, let it last a little longer." Kathleen decided to take the advice, leaning back into him and closing her eyes. If this was a dream, she was going to enjoy it just a little while longer, because when she woke, the only thing that would still exist would be her team, her team and a mission.


	40. The List

**100 Challenges**

**Prompt: 040 Rated**

**Title: The List**

Over the years Kathleen had made a list of the things she considered to be overrated. People seemed to care so much about them but she didn't see a point. Usually she didn't understand because the matter was so trivial, or because she'd been on the other side, seen that it wasn't as bad as they all seemed to think that it was.

The first thing was having parents around all the time. In school the other children had always been talking about their parents. From how proud their parents were to something their parents had gotten mad at them for. Kathleen wasn't like them; she didn't have every day stories. Her parents were never around and some of the children seemed to think less of her for it. She'd never understood why. She knew her parents loved her, and they were doing important work. Why would that make her unfortunate? Sure they couldn't be there for school functions, and her aunt never came, but why did that matter? Most other kids were always embarrassed by their parents at the events. Kathleen didn't have to worry about that. Seemed more like a bonus than a problem.

The second was emotional connections. When she was orphaned she realized that all of her emotional connections had only brought her pain. She remained distant from all the children at the orphanage, refusing to make bonds with even the staff. When she'd become a trainee she'd planned on remaining distant from everyone else. Fred and Will had had a different idea. Despite her attempts to keep them at arm's length they both managed to get close to her, opening her up to make bonds with Joshua and Sheila. She'd almost a changed her mind, decided that having emotional attachments wasn't so overrated, but then the augmentations happened. She once more felt that pain of loss and decided that such connections were still over rated. As she got to know the ODSS she came to another realization. Although the emotional connections were overrated, they were part of being human. They hurt, but were worth it sometimes.

The third thing on her overrated list were commendations. Awards like purple hearts, bronze stars, and silver crosses. Kathleen didn't need a piece of metal and a ribbon to remind her of her action in the field. She bore the scars that accompanied combat to remember. She hadn't paid any attention to metals until they started to see Spartans receiving awards. It wasn't so much about actually getting them but the complete lack of. Despite valiant actions and injuries in the field not a single ODSS had even a purple heart. This had been annoying mainly to her soldiers. It was bad enough that soldiers would ignore them with Kathleen around but it proved exactly how nonexistent they were to the entire UNSC, not even noted that they were serving. Kathleen had seen the issue, and taken action, explaining how metals were overrated. The soldiers had agreed but didn't seem to feel any better. Kathleen ended up expanding her reasoning as to why they were overrated. She realized that the UNSC was obviously giving medals to the Spartans to boost morale, make people see them as something even greater then what they were. It was blatant proof of how empty the awards really were.

The final thing Kathleen had decided was overrated was being a Spartan. The Spartans had all the best equipment. Armor that increased their speed and strength, well-maintained and fresh equipment, and a medical staff specifically for them. The ODSS were the opposite, but did just as well. Normal ODST armor, old used equipment, and the same medical as all the regular soldiers. Having the best was overrated. Kathleen preferred to be the best with the basics.


	41. Trust

**100 Challenges**

**Prompt 041: Teamwork**

**Title: Trust**

* * *

Kathleen stood watching the soldiers as they blindly made their way. The soldiers had all split up into their duos and had to work together. In order to better their teamwork she had to create a sense of trust between them which had proven to be a bit harder then she had expected. They had to make their way through a maze, but she'd added in the issue of the one following the maze was blindfolded. The one of the pair that wasn't blindfolded would be on the outside of the maze, giving verbal directions to their partner. So far the pairs had showed proper cooperation, but they didn't always seem to trust each other.

James kept calling out to Matthew even if he was in a straight path and there were no turns even close. Matthew was doing a fine job of giving directions and it was obvious that he was getting a bit annoyed with James's impatience. James would have to learn to trust that Matthew was there and that he would have his back.

Luke and Peter were fighting, as she had expected. The arguing and insults were really all show as Peter made his way through the maze. Every time that Luke gave a direction, Peter followed it. There wasn't a bit of hesitation and he had yet to run into anything. Kathleen made a note to be sure the learned to keep their arguing under control.

Tym and Tobias were doing rather well, but Tobias kept failing to inform Tym when to stop, causing him to run into things. It was obvious that he was during so in a sort of teasing and mocking way rather than with hateful intentions. Tym still trusted him, even after running into something. Kathleen would have to ensure that they took the exercises more seriously. If Tobias pushed it too far he would lose the trust of his partner. They'd already had several spats where Tym threatened to stop listening to him.

Emily and Edward were working flawlessly, though they hadn't started that way. At first Emily had refused to take direction. It had actually surprised Kathleen as the two of them had worked so well in other fields, but here Emily had blatantly decided she wanted to do it on her own. It wasn't until she'd hit enough walls and had been informed that the others had all passed her that she stared to listen to Edward. Now they were working perfectly, having almost reached the end. Edward was moving around the maze, following Emily to assure that she could hear him. When he told her which way to go Emily would immediately turn and start walking. Kathleen noticed Emily was keeping time in order to keep herself at a steady pace. It was an interesting strategy.

Emily and Edward were the first to finish, followed by Luke and Peter. She expected Emily and Edward to do well, but she had been surprised that Luke and Peter had been second. Tym and Tobias ended up third, followed by James and Matthew. Kathleen made a quick list in her head. There was a possibility of trust between James and Matthew. Tym and Tobias were treating it more like they were enemies with a fairly similar goal, which would have to be changed. Peter and Luke couldn't stop fighting, which she was starting to think was just their way of trying to keep themselves from admitting they trusted each other. Emily seemed to be the problem in her duo. She didn't like being pushed around, which Kathleen could understand, but she had to learn to trust that Edward's orders were for her safety or for her good rather than just to be pushing her around. In the root of all of these seemed to be a reluctance to allow themselves to really trust the others, whether on purpose or not. That would have to be remedied first.

Kathleen decided that she had to take a more active approach to make the soldiers bond. She bought herself a little time by sending them out for a five mile run to join the trio who had been doing extra training in their specialized fields. The run would give her just enough time to complete her task.

When the marines arrived back from their run they were confused to find four cots missing. "What's going on?"

Kathleen walked up behind them and they waited patiently for her to explain. "Duos will be sleeping on the same cot until I decide otherwise."

Several of the soldiers looked unhappy but didn't dare speak up. Instead that night four pairs of soldiers crammed themselves onto cots, trying to not push each other off. Kathleen sat in the dark, smirking to herself. She was sure that the soldiers didn't understand what she was doing, or how it would help them, but she knew it would work.

She remembered her first week as a trainee, after she'd made friends with Fred and Will. She'd started out cold to them, something Fred seemed not to like. It had been the same reluctance to trust that she identified in her soldiers now. She'd been drifting off to sleep one night when suddenly she found herself sharing her cot. Fred had crawled in with her and was hugging her like a teddy bear. She was just about to tell him to leave when Will joined them on her other side, hugging her as well. She'd struggled against them and threatened them with bodily harm but still they stayed. After that they came back each night until she stopped fighting them and at some point welcomed them. They had forced her to let them close, physically and emotionally. She'd learned that she had to trust them to be that close and she learned to, though that first night she hadn't slept so well. It had helped when they started to work with foes, when she started having to fight, to trust that they would have her back. She didn't want to admit it back then, but forcing themselves so close to her had been the base of that bond, and now she would force the same bond on her own soldiers. Kathleen smirked a bit more. Not to mention she got to make them uncomfortable.


	42. Changes

**100 Challenges**

**Prompt 042: Standing Still**

**Title: Changes  
**

* * *

Kathleen sat in the empty space of the mess hall. All the other soldiers were gone, leaving her alone with her thoughts. She was lost in her thoughts, in the dark fears that came with them. She usually kept them hidden, buried under a tough exterior and locked behind great metal doors in her mind, but here, alone, they ran free.

She'd been so lost in her thoughts she hadn't heard him sit down. "Why are you in here?"

Kathleen's head snapped up as she recognized the voice. She just stared at the other trainee, not saying a word. Why was he here? Why did it have to be him of all people? Her gaze turned back to the table, determined not to let him see the insecurity she felt at the moment.

Fred crossed his arms and glared at the woman across from him. "What? Too good to talk to me?" He leaned forward on the table. "Well, as team leader I'm ordering you to tell me why you're here."

Kathleen kept herself from flinching at his tone. She hated this. She and Fred had been the best of friends, even more then friends, but recently they'd been at each other's throats. What was worse, it was Kathleen's fault. All her fears and insecurities had been getting stronger, making her feel like an outcast in her own team. She'd taken out her frustration about it on Fred.

"I'm waiting." His voice was ice cold.

Kathleen continued to stare at the table top. She thought about fighting him, about making a harsh comment, but that would start a fight and she didn't have the energy for that. She decided to just swallow her pride and be honest. "I don't want to be fighting with you, Fred. We're supposed to be friends. I trust you. You said you loved me and I..." Her fears were stronger now, and she couldn't keep the words from spilling out. She hadn't meant to say half of it but she'd cut it off before she'd said what she refused to admit. She finally lifted her gaze, looking at Fred and allowing him to see that she was upset and not her usual confident self. She let him see that she meant the hurt that was hinted in her voice.

Fred's mood instantly shifted. He stood up and moved around the table to sit down beside her. His arm reached around her shoulder, pulling her toward him. "I don't want to be fighting either." He didn't press the matter further, just sat in silence with her.

Kathleen leaned against him, allowing herself to feel close to him. She'd felt so distant from him in the past weeks she felt relieved that he wasn't mad, wasn't pushing her away but pulling her closer. "Fred, do you ever feel like you're standing still in comparison to everyone else?"

Fred chuckled and it made Kathleen smile slightly. "Look who you are talking to. Of course I do. Don't know why you would, though. You sailed past me long ago. You're better at things than some of the others." Kathleen was surprised at how easily Fred slipped back into his nice and cheerful attitude when just a moment ago he'd been cold to her. "Most of us are standing still compared to you."

Kathleen knew that the words weren't completely true. Kelly was faster than her, Linda was a better sniper, Will had more skill with a rocket launcher then she did. To her it was more than just that and even the flattering comments didn't cheer her up. "I just feel like everyone else is changing. They're becoming Spartans." Fred listened carefully, trying to understand, but she could tell from the look on his face that he didn't understand where she was going. "I just feel like I'm not becoming a Spartan. I just don't feel like I'm changing with them." Fred didn't say anything. He looked away from her. "You think so, too." Kathleen slumped against him. If even he could see it then she wasn't just imagining it.

Fred held her a bit tighter and she buried her face into his shoulder. "There's nothing wrong with not being a Spartan. Knowing you, you'll be something better than a Spartan." Kathleen heard him chuckle and kiss the top of her head. The words were empty, just him trying to comfort her, but for now she would let herself just believe that he was being honest, that the difference between her and the others wasn't a bad thing. "I love you, Kathleen." He flinched but she didn't hit him. He grinned, triumphant in being able to say the words without physical harm.

He finally turned his attention to why he hadn't been hit and smiled softly and wrapped his other arm around the female trainee. Kathleen's eyes were shut and she was curled up against him. She was relaxed for the first time in weeks, and bathing in his love and acceptance. Even if she didn't feel like she was changing like the others she knew that Fred would accept her. Even if she wasn't a Spartan.


	43. Maria

**100 Challenges**

**Prompt 043: Dying**

**Title: Maria**

* * *

Kathleen moved cautiously through the base, looking for any sign of enemies. She stopped at a group of storage rooms and motioned to her team. They moved into the rooms while Kathleen moved toward the closest laboratory.

She eased her way inside, scanning the area. Blood was splattered over the wall while the bodies of technicians and soldiers lay about. One particular body caught Kathleen's attention.

She moved to the fallen Spartan, kneeling beside her. Kathleen shifted the body to look at the woman's face. It took her a moment but she recognized her as Maria. What was she doing in armor? The last Kathleen had heard, Maria had retired to start a family.

Maria's eyes eased open and at the sight of the Mark VI armor she smiled weakly. "Sorry, you're a bit late. We took care of the Cole Protocol. All the data's gone."

Kathleen nodded. She didn't know what to say. She hadn't seen the woman in years and at the moment she was torn between respect for Maria's focus on her duty and sorrow over the female Spartan's condition.

Maria coughed and new blood coated her lips. "Don't see why they are still using that protocol. They found Earth."

"The Covenant skipped past some Inner colonies. They still need to be protected as much as we can." Kathleen shifted the woman so she would be more comfortable, for whatever good it would do.

Maria frowned as Kathleen spoke. "Can I see your face? See one last old friend before I go?" The request was weak and almost pleading, but Kathleen knew better. Maria had more self-respect than that.

Kathleen wasn't going to argue or deny that Maria was dying. She decided to grant the request, reaching up and removing her helmet, allowing the fading Spartan to see her face.

Maria looked crestfallen and it hurt Kahtleen. She could tell that the retired Spartan didn't recognize her. "I'm sorry, I thought I knew you." She took a deep breath and reached up, pulling the dog tags from her neck. "Whoever you are, please, could you see that my daughter gets these?"

Kathleen grabbed the other Spartan's raised hand, grabbing the tags at the same time. She could see her own mother doing the same thing, asking that some trinket of her existence would be passed on to her child. Kathleen felt the tags around her neck grow heavier with the thought. "I'll see that she gets them, Maria." Kathleen hesitated for a moment. "What's her name?"

Maria seemed confused that Kathleen knew her name but she snapped out of it at the question. "Her name is Rosa." Maria smiled with pride. "Her father chose it."

"It's a beautiful name. I'll be sure Rosa gets them." Kathleen clung to the chain tightly.

"Thank you." The Spartan stared at her for a moment. "I could swear that I know you." She smiled weakly one last time. "Guess it's just a foggy mind." Her eyes eased shut and Kathleen felt her throat, feeling the Spartan's pulse slowing and then stop.

Kathleen tucked the tags away, grabbing her helmet and standing. She turned to find Edward in the doorway.

"All clear, ma'am." Edward glanced down at Maria but he didn't ask a question, didn't say another word.

"Good, let's move on." Kathleen slipped on her helmet and moved out of the lab. Edward followed behind her, leaving Maria behind to be buried in the lab when it was destroyed.


	44. What to do

**100 Challenges**

**Prompt 044: Two Roads**

**Title: What to do**

* * *

Two roads lay before her. She knew about the Spartans, knew the truth. She was sure of one thing that would come from this information. No matter what road she took, she couldn't trust ONI. They'd lied, and it wasn't a little white lie. They'd lied about the death of people who were important to her.

There was still one choice that she had to make. It was the same question that was obviously on the minds of her soldiers. They were all watching her as though she was just going to state her choice. In truth she was conflicted; both roads held so many possibilities. She'd have to choose one, but she didn't know which.

Finally Matthew asked the question. "What are you going to do about the Spartans?"

It was a complicated question. Down one road she could openly pursue finding out about the Spartans. This had several possible outcomes. She could find out about them, be reunited with her lost family, or be told to keep her nose out of the project. She thought the second was more likely, though she couldn't be sure which would happen. If she was told to leave the project alone she worried about the repercussions there might be on her team. A bit of discipline usually drove home that you were to follow instructions. If she was reunited there were other problems to deal with. What would become of her team if she was reunited with the Spartans? Would they still work together or would she be separated from her soldiers? If they were split up then what sort of fighting would her troops still be allowed to do? Who would lead them? There were just so many questions.

Down the other road was the option of ignoring their existence. Simply acting as though she didn't care the Spartans were alive. She found herself not thinking that would be a very possible option. Despite it all she couldn't see herself just pretending they weren't still alive. She could push it to the back of her mind, just keep tabs on the Spartans, but she'd have to keep it subtle. If the higher-ups found out they might take it the wrong way and think that she was showing interest in rejoining them. The brass could be so detached from how soldiers actually felt. If she ignored the Spartans she'd be able to stay with her ODSS but she'd be fully rejecting whatever part of her might still be Spartan.

She weighed the two choices against each other. On one hand she'd be reunited with family who she'd thought dead and gone, which might include her old team and Fred. The idea of seeing them again was tempting but it brought up a second question. Did she really belong with the Spartans anymore? She wasn't really sure if she was like them at all. For all she knew the Spartans wouldn't even recognize her. On the other hand she would get to stay with her troops. She knew that they accepted her and she got along with them.

Kathleen was reluctant to denounce the Spartans completely. She might be a black sheep in the family, but she was still family. She was caught between abandoning the Spartan part of her, the part that had been so close to her old team, and walking away from the woman she was, marine and leader of the ODSS. She looked around at her soldiers and she knew her choice. They were her soldiers, loyal and determined. The Spartans had been dead to her for years, she didn't need them. She had the ODSS, and that was all she needed. They had replaced the Spartans as her family. Sure, a part of her would always be Spartan, she couldn't deny that, but she was a marine now and she felt at home as one.

"Why would I do anything about the Spartans? They have nothing to do with us." Kathleen felt the air of relief in the air. She was an ODSS and sticking with it.


	45. An Act

**100 Challenges**

**Prompt 045: Illusion**

**Title: An Act**

* * *

It was just an illusion, an act for the normal soldiers. They felt more comfortable when they thought she was a real Spartan. Kathleen hated that, hated the illusion as a whole. She wasn't a Spartan and hated pretending to be what she wasn't. On top of it all she had to act the part, speak and move like one of them, which just wasn't natural. She used the proper terms for everything, none of the nicknames she'd grown used to. Walked tall and confident, not the more loose and relaxed way she usually would.

Soldiers always seemed half-amazed, half-frightened by the sight of her. Their attitude, the way they kept a slight distance, it all made her feel like a freak. She bristled every time they called her 'Spartan'. At some point it had started to feel like an insult. A reminder that although her soldiers treated her like she was still the seven-foot-tall science experiment.

The soldiers all looked to her, waiting for her to perform some brilliant act to save them all. Something in them always seemed disappointed when she set her team into action. The Spartans had been built up so much in the average soldier's eyes that to see one needing a full team of ODST to do anything seemed to not live up to it. That sort of attitude, along with how some had openly spoke of how the ODSS weren't good enough to work with a Spartan, it didn't help her team. Some soldiers even refused to take orders from her Corporals, only from her. It was all causing a rift between her soldiers and the normal soldiers.

It all got to her, but hated more the way it made her soldiers feel. She'd built them up to be the best, to be just as good as she was, but they were never treated that way. They would never openly admit it, but being completely ignored hurt on some level. The ODSS were just as skilled as her, put in all the effort, but as long as they were in ODST armor and she in MJOLNIR they would always be in her shadow. It created a level of resentment, not toward her but other soldiers and the higher ups who had ordered her to keep the illusion. They tried their hardest to hide their dislike but the quiet curses and aggitated speech that followed finding regular soldiers gave them away. Eventually she started to avoid regular teams when she could. Taking the long way around, waiting for them to pass, or finding reasons why she and her team could split off quickly from a normal group of soldiers.

Eventually Kathleen's act became a running joke. After a mission where they had to deal with normal soldiers, or the presence of Spartans had made things a bit harder for them, they would return to the ship and while they were winding down Kathleen would put on her act. She's give orders in her stiff Spartan voice and her soldiers would mock the way that most other soldiers seemed to be in complete amazement of her. The soldiers would all have a good laugh and it eased the pain of having to pretend that they weren't who they really were.

Kathleen stood before the soldiers, straightening her posture and looking around at the unfamiliar faces as they looked at her with a mixture of amazement and relief. She swallowed her annoyance and slipped into her act. She switched on her voice filter; soldiers always seemed to listen to her better when they didn't know she was female. She moved up to the Corporal in charge of the group of normal soldiers. "All right, let's get to work."


	46. Photos

**100 Challenges  
**

**Prompt 046: Family**

**Title: Photos  
**

* * *

Kathleen stared at the book in her father's lap. She looked over the pictures, trying to memorize each face. Her father was waiting patiently until she leaned back a bit, allowing him to see the pages. She settled in beside him, eyes still glued to the pages. "Who are they all?"

"These are your ancestors." Her father pointed to the first picture. Kathleen recognized the insignia on the man's shoulder as that of a Sergeant. "That is your grandfather on my side. Sergeant Jackson." Kathleen's eyes studied the regal man. He stood tall with pride, a jagged scar running above his left eye. "He died when rebels tried to attack the capitol. Caught a bullet to the chest."

Her father moved on to the next picture. "That's your grandmother on my side." The woman's hair was up in a tight bun and Kathleen frowned at the insignia on her shoulder. "Shamefully, she was naval. Lieutenant Jane." Her father's voice was light and he was smiling as he looked down at the image. "She was a squid, but your grandfather loved her. Always said she was marine deep down." Kathleen stared at the woman. There was a strong, determined look in her eyes.

Her father shifted the book so she could see the opposite page. "That's your grandfather on your mother's side. Corporal Douglas. Low rank, but a hell of a soldier. Died evacuating a building that had been bombed." Kathleen stretched to see the stern face of the man. He didn't really look all that impressive, but she'd been taught that looks could be deceiving. For all she knew, his innocent looks might hide a violent and brilliant soldier.

He moved on to the final picture. "That's your grandmother on your mother's side. Major Amelia. One hell of an officer. Gave me hell when I started dating your mother. Had drill instructors that were nicer to me." Her father was grinning but Kathleen didn't understand. The woman in the picture was beautiful and looked nice. "Don't let her smile deceive you, she ran that house. She put on a proper leader attitude with the troops but at home she was like a tiger, ready to maul you if you dare cross her. I don't know how your grandfather survived." He shook his head slightly at the thought. "Died beside her troops while giving evacuation vehicles a chance to get out of a city. Stood side by side with her soldiers, gun in hand, until the very end."

Her father flipped the page and Kathleen saw familiar faces. "This is me back after basic. I met your mother only weeks later. Thought I was a hot shot soldier until I met her and learned a thing or two." Kathleen stared at the younger version of her father. He didn't look as intimidating to her. He still looked innocent, having not seen combat, and lacked any of the familiar scars that Kathleen had always known her father to have.

He paused as he turned to the last picture. Kathleen stared at the confident strong face of her mother. "This was your mother after her promotion to Corporal." He stared at his lost wife's face, slowly running his hand over the picture.

"Dad, why do mom and I have the same name?" It was a question that Kathleen had wanted to ask for a long time.

"Because of an old tradition." Kathleen frowned in confusion at her father's answer. "It is a tradition to name the first born son after his father, carry on the family name. Well, your mother decided we should do the same thing, but you're a girl, and we didn't plan on ever having another child, so we decided to pass down the name Kathleen to you."

Kathleen digested the answer and nodded. She paused for a moment and then spoke. "Then why do you keep calling me Kat and not Kathleen?"

Her father sighed and stared down at the picture. "Because calling you Kathleen reminds me of your mother."

"But I like remembering mom." Kathleen frowned at the idea of not trying to remember her mother. Her features suddenly became stern and determined. "That's it. From this moment on it's only Kathleen. I'll tell everyone they have to call me Kathleen or there will be consequences. That way when people say my name I'll remember mom."

Her father smiled slightly. "All right, then from now on I'll only call you Kathleen."

Kathleen hesitated for a moment. "Well you can call me Kat sometimes, but only you can. No exceptions for anyone else."

Her father leaned over, placing a kiss on her head. "Well, then I'm the luckiest man in the universe." He shut the book and stood up. "Come on, the parade should be starting soon and I know you don't want to miss it." Kathleen nodded happily and stood up to follow her father.


	47. Training

**100 Challenges  
**

**Prompt 047: Creation**

**Title: Training  
**

* * *

Kathleen watched the soldiers run ahead of her. Many of them looked tired and the others looked ready to drop. They still had three miles to go. It was the third day of their training and already the soldiers were doing better. The marines had stopped complaining halfway through the second day as they no longer had the energy for it. Several of them hadn't made it past the fifth mile on the first day but today it had taken until the ninth mile to exhaust them. Each day she had been increasing the exercises and distance each day.

Kathleen had set up a strict training regimen that included a morning and afternoon training plan. They started with 200 pushups, 200 sit ups, 400 jumping jacks, 200 squat thrusts, and finished with a 10 mile run. Once they'd finished that the soldiers made their way to the weight room to lift weights for half an hour before they could go to lunch. She'd borrowed the basic outline from the first days she had as a Spartan trainee. Saran had given her a week to prepare her soldiers before they would go into exercises against other soldiers, fully trained soldiers. That gave her precious little time to make them into proper soldiers and up to her physical standards. She was lucky that all of them had been in basic boot for a while before she was put in charge. That gave her a foundation. She was in charge of making them faster, stronger, and tougher. She was shooting for having them at the same physical abilities as the Spartan trainees by the end of the week.

The second half of the day was spent on a wider subject, skills. On the first day she'd taken them to the firing range and tested them on each weapon in the UNSC arsenal, then made them practice until they reached a particular level she deemed acceptable. After that she gave them a test to take while they had dinner, making sure that they knew she was watching for any attempts to cheat. She used the test to gauge their personalities and strategic skills. On the second day she'd done an instinct drill. She'd told them to sit at their bunks with their backs to her. Kathleen had set them to disassembling and reassembling a DMR while at random times she would throw baseballs at the back of their heads. By the end of the night several had started at least flinching when they sensed the ball coming. Today Kathleen planned on putting the test scores to use. She would be setting them to a teamwork exercise, have them work in pairs. Tomorrow she was planning on testing their hand-to-hand skill and teach them a bit.

By the end of the week she would have them ready for combat. She was really only tasked with one thing. Make her soldiers as good as Spartans. That wasn't good enough for her. To Kathleen there was always room for improvement. She wouldn't make her soldiers as good as Spartans, she'd make them better. She was going to create the best soldiers, ones who could take on any job, a true hybrid of Spartan and ODST.

As they reached the top of the hill Kathleen once more examined her soldiers. It felt odd to call them her soldiers. She'd only been allowed to lead once, but she supposed now the UNSC had no choice. She was the only Spartan that had survived. Leadership felt hollow when it was only be default . The soldiers were willing to learn, and she would train them. Kathleen was determined not to fail. She'd show she survived for a reason.

"Pick up the pace. Two more miles to go." The news seemed to give her soldiers new life. They had a spring to their steps and more energy now that they knew the end was close. Kathleen made a mental note to never again tell them the actual distance to the end.


	48. S'more

**100 Challenges  
**

**Prompt 048: Childhood**

**Title: S'more  
**

* * *

Kathleen sat, listening to her soldiers as they chatted. This was one of those conversations she felt left out of. The ODSS were listing off things from their childhood that they had liked. They named off activities like red rover, hide-and-seek, tag, and four square. Kathleen wasn't familiar with any of these games. The games of her childhood had been capture the flag with paintball guns and the loser having to run laps or do some exercise. From the way her soldiers spoke she doubted the games they were talking about were anything like any game she had played.

The soldiers moved on to talk about camping trips, learning to hunt with their parents, eating s'mores with friends, and campfire songs. Kathleen wasn't even sure what a s'more was. From the conversation it seemed to be some sort of snack. Kathleen remembered being dropped off in the woods with the other Spartans. That seemed to be the closest thing to what her soldiers were talking about. She remembered they'd climbed into a rocky part of the forest. It made it easier to defend against Mendez's troops. They'd laid out under the stars pointing out constellations. There was a hazy memory in Kathleen's mind of her father promising to take her camping, teach her to hunt. He'd died before he could. Kathleen did remember Fred teaching her how to set up traps for rabbits. She supposed weapon training also counted as learning to hunt, just hunt humans rather than deer.

"Hey Sarge, did you ever go camping?" Max leaned toward her, eager to know what her answer was.

Kathleen hesitated for a moment. Could she really call those survival exercises camping? They had slept outside, been in nature, and had a fire. That seemed to check all the boxes of camping. "Yeah, I did a few times."

"Well then you have to have had a s'more." Peter spoke up. "Tell this idiot they are better than straight up roasted marshmallows." He motioned to Luke.

Kathleen shook her head. "I've never had a s'more." She frowned at the shocked faces of her soldiers. It was as though she's just told them we was going to retire. "What?"

"How can you go camping and not have a s'more? That's not really camping at all. Even if you go camping in your back yard you end up having s'mores. Sometimes you go camping just so you can have s'mores."

"I only went camping back during Spartan boot. I'm not sure what you use to make a s'more but I've never had one and I'm sure we didn't have supplies for them back then." Kathleen didn't understand what the big deal was.

"We have to fix this. What kind of child doesn't have the chance to eat a s'more?" Tobias furrowed his brow, already planning.

"Most of my childhood I was a trainee. So what is a s'more anyway?" Kathleen asked.

"It's a slightly fire roasted marshmallow with a bit of chocolate bar sandwiched between two graham crackers." Kathleen had to admit that did sound good. She knew she liked chocolate, didn't really remember marshmallows, and she wasn't even sure if she'd ever had graham crackers.

"Wait, you weren't born a trainee." David leaned toward her as he spoke. "So before that, why hadn't you had a s'more?"

"My parents were soldiers." There was a collective 'oh' through the group toward Kathleen's answer. She hid her surprise to their response. They didn't ask questions, just seemed to accept it as a completely understandable. They asked as though just those four words had answered not just that question, but others. Kathleen relaxed, leaning forward against the table. Her soldiers returned to their conversation. They spoke of trips to the lake, friends from when they were little, and of their families. They tried several times to get Kathleen to give up more information about her family but she refused.

That night the marines lit a fight behind one of the buildings and roasted marshmallows. Kathleen had her first s'more, and proceeded to slap Luke for ever questioning that they weren't better then plain marshmallows.


	49. ODSK

**100 Challenges  
**

**Prompt 049: Stripes**

**Title: ODSK  
**

* * *

Kathleen stared down at the sleeping animal. "Why is it on my cot?" She wasn't going to ask what it was, that part was obvious. It was a black cat with odd gray stripes, sleeping at the foot of her cot, curled up in a perfect ball. She'd found it after coming back from her shower.

"Because she likes you?" Max didn't sound convinced of his own words.

"Let me rephrase my question. Why is there a cat in our barracks?" Kathleen was not in the mood for games. They'd just returned from a long hard battle, one which was once more lost and would end with the glassing of a planet. She wanted answers, and now. "How did it get here?"

"Max brought it back from the planet. She's going to be our new mascot." Peter grinned happily at the last part.

"Tattle-tale." Max scowled at Peter before he turned back to Kathleen. "She was all alone in the city. I couldn't just leave her there to be glassed."

"You could, and should, have. A ship is no place for a cat. Even more if it thinks it's going to sleep on my bed." Kathleen had no idea what had been going through Max's head when he brought the cat back. Likely it was one of his pacifist ideas. Trying to save every soul, even that of a cat.

"Come on, Sarge, give her a shot. She's the perfect mascot for us." Tobias pulled up his sleeve. "See, she's already scratched several of us to hell for annoying her, she's black like our armor but gray like everything else we wear, and she has no one but us."

Kathleen sat down on her cot and the cat perked up. It moved over and sat down beside Kathleen, staring up at her. Kathleen would never admit it, but she felt for the cat. She remembered wanting a cat as a child and this one seemed well behaved, for the most part. She'd wanted a rescue cat, from a shelter, save a cat from an undeserved death. She supposed that this cat fit the description, and Kathleen did like the way the cat looked.

"So, you want to be an ODSS?" Kathleen felt odd talking to a cat. Though no odder than talking to a grave. Less odd, actually, as the cat was at least alive. The feline meowed and Kathleen raised an eyebrow. "Well, then I have a test for you to prove you're worthy." Kathleen picked up the cat and flung it toward Max. The cat latched onto the man as they fell to the ground. A moment later the cat returned, sitting once more at Kathleen's side.

Max sat up. "That's just mean."

"That's what you get for bringing a cat on board without telling me." Kathleen reached over, scratching the cat's ear. It purred happily. "Good news is, she passed. Meet our new mascot."

The soldiers seemed pleased with the news. "So what are we going to call her?" Emily knelt down by the cot, watching the cat.

"We should call her something clever, something that will either make people think or just completely confuse them." Peter frowned as he struggled to think of a name.

"How about we just call her Kat," Edward suggested. "With a K of course."

"No, Orbital Drop Shock Kat, or ODSK for short." Emily grinned and the cat meowed.

"She's apparently agreed. ODSK it is." Kathleen made a mental note to get a tag made for the cat. She wondered if she could get a tag shaped like a comet.


	50. Swim

**100 challenge  
**

**Prompt 050: Breaking the rules**

**Title: Swim  
**

* * *

Kathleen knelt in the darkness, remaining as quiet as she could. The patrol passed without noticing where she was hidden. She waited until they were around the corner before she darted across the road to the fence. Kathleen checked over the metal, finding where she had cut it some time ago.

Someone bumped Kathleen and she glared over her shoulder at the other trainee. "Watch where you're going, and stop making so much noise. You'll attract the guards."

Fred scowled at her. "Sorry that I'm not as good at breaking out as you are. I've never done this before."

"Well, the rest of us aren't wet blankets like you and John. The both of you are total killjoys." Kathleen carefully pulled the fence back so that they could crawl under. "No sense of adventure like Will or me."

"Wait, you took Will out here?" Fred crawled under the fence and waited on the other side for her to come through. "When?"

"A few weeks ago." Kathleen followed, easing the fence back into place. "He agreed to go stargazing with me." She smiled at the memory.

"But…you didn't ask me to go." Fred looked dejected as he followed Kathleen in to the trees. "Why did you take Will?"

Kathleen shook her head. She couldn't believe how childish he was being. "First, you so wouldn't have gone. Like I said before, you're a wet blanket. Second, Will saw me sneaking out and asked to join me. I didn't ask anyone to come with me."

"Would you stop calling me that? I'm not a wet anything." Fred quickened his pace to catch up to her. "And I would have come. I'm not like John."

Kathleen stopped and turned to him. "No, you aren't like John. Kelly told me when they last went stargazing it was his idea. You would never suggest anything like that."

Kathleen moved on, leaving Fred once more to follow her. She led them to a lake that was very familiar to them. They'd been there several times during their training for various reasons. The area was beautiful in the night. The water was calm and the moon hung in the air, perfectly reflected off the glassy surface of the lake. Kathleen sat down in the sand, looking out at the water.

Fred shifted nervously and Kathleen was about to tell him to sit down and stop but the words died in her mouth. Fred stripped off his shirt and tossed it to the side. "What are you doing?" She frowned as he removed his pants but stopped at his underwear. "If you're making a move, this is not the right time."

"A move? What kind of move?" Kathleen groaned at his ignorance. He tilted his head to the side, confused. He shook his head, ignoring it. "I'm going to go swimming."

Kathleen groaned again. "This is because I said you were a killjoy, isn't it? Now you're trying to be adventurous." Fred didn't reply but Kathleen spotted the slight blush on his cheeks. "Sometimes you are so pathetic, Fred." She stood up and stripped off her own clothing.

Fred stood, stunned, as Kathleen ran forward into the water. He snapped out of it and ran in after her. The two of them splashed around, dunked each other, and had a few races in the following hour. Fred was forced into most of the activities, Kathleen pressuring him and calling him a chicken. By the time they had made their way back to shore, Fred had started to relax. He was laughing and happy, and even Kathleen was smiling happily.

When they got out the two lay on the sand, staring up at the moon as they dried off. "John never would have done that." Fred was grinning happily, until Kathleen's fist hit his shoulder.

"Yeah, he would have. You two are so much alike, though he'd be a better leader. You don't have the guts for it." Kathleen put her hands behind her head, surprised at how much sand was still sticking to her.

Fred sat up quickly. "We are not alike. I would be a good leader, I could handle it."

"Really? You could watch your soldiers get mangled, bleed, and even die?" Fred flinched at her question. "See, you aren't cut out for it. You wouldn't even break the rules for one night without me pressing you to do it. John could, would, can, and probably has." Kathleen sat up. "Come to think of it, I wonder if I could steal John from Kelly."

Fred looked at her, stunned. "You can't be serious." Kathleen shrugged, indicating that she was considering it. This seemed to upset Fred. "How can you be considering that? What about…"

"What about what?" Kathleen scowled as she brushed some of the sand off of her skin. She was satisfied with how dry she was so she grabbed her clothing.

"What about…me?" Fred looked toward the ground, nervous. "I mean, what about us?"

"What us? There is no us. You don't have the guts to even make a move on me and I am not willing to settle for a spineless weakling." Kathleen slipped on her clothing. This had started out so pleasant but now it was going downhill, fast.

"I'm not spineless." Fred scrambled to his fee. "I'm strong, like all the others. I'm not weak."

"Physical strength doesn't mean you have a spine. You can be physically strong but a coward. I'm just not interested in a relationship where I have to be the man." Kathleen frowned at Fred. "Face it, you wouldn't be able to handle me."

Fred didn't say anything at first. He opened his mouth several times to speak but closed it again, thinking better of trying to argue. The male trainee looked down, ashamed that he couldn't fight the claim.

"That's what I thought." Kathleen grabbed Fred's clothing and handed them to him. "Honestly, the only reason I haven't completely dropped you for John is I don't want to deal with an angry Kelly and you have a slightly better body."

Fred didn't hide his surprise, or the bit of joy the information gave him. A look of determination crossed Fred's face. "Well, then I'm going to give you a reason to choose me."

Kathleen raised an eyebrow. "And what might that be?" Kathleen frowned as she realized Fred was shaking slightly and the determination was wavering. "You all right?"

Fred nodded, taking a deep breath. Kathleen shrugged, deciding to leave it alone. She turned and started to walk toward base. "I love you." The words were quick as he blurted them out. Kathleen looked back at him, surprised by the words.

"What?" She was sure she had heard wrong. There was no way the Fred she knew would say those words.

"I said…I love you." Fred's cheeks were burning as he moved forward. He pulled her to him, bringing their lips together. It was rough, and in later years Kathleen would admit, the worse kiss of her life, but at that moment she didn't care.

Kathleen wrapped her arms around him, pulling him closer. She only broke away when she ran out of air. "That is a good way to set yourself apart."

"John wouldn't have done that." Fred was smirking as he tightened his grip on her waist.

He let go as Kathleen punched him in the shoulder. "Yeah, he would have, though he probably would have done it before I'd put my clothes back on." Kathleen smirked at the unhappy look on Fred's face. "Oh, at least you proved you have a few vertebrae." She turned and started to walk back to base. Fred struggled to get on his clothing and catch up to her.


	51. addiction

**100 challenge  
**

**Prompt 051: Start**

**Title: Addiction  
**

* * *

Really, she wasn't sure when it had all started. It might have been when she started to feel like she wasn't one of the Spartans. It might have been when she'd lost her family and she'd become a soldier, though most likely it had always been a part of her.

She didn't think she'd gotten it from her parents. They always seemed happy with who they were but she was never satisfied. No matter what, it never seemed like it was enough. She never seemed pleased enough with how she was. Even after she became a marine, joined the ODSS, and found where she belonged, it was never enough.

She sat in the gym, contemplating the question of why. She was strong, had the loyalty of her soldiers, and was a soldier. What more could she ask for? She had everything that she'd ever wanted but still it wasn't enough. She was never strong enough, skilled enough, or smart enough, at least in her own mind.

To her soldiers she was amazing, the height of what a soldier could be, and all they aimed to be. To them she was the end game. She could see it in their eyes while they trained, when she would grab almost twice the weight as them. At times she wished that she could see what they did, but she couldn't. All she ever seemed to see was failure.

She started at the machine she sat on, eyes locked to the weights attached. There should be more, more weight. She checked the resistance that Maria had set her suit to. It felt like it had been too long since she had increased it. Was she slowing down? No, that wasn't acceptable. She lay back down on the machine and grabbed the bar, pulling it down, annoyed at how difficult it still was for her to lift. By this point it should have been easy for her. She should have been complaining about how easy it was, not hard.

Improvement, that was what she needed. It was what she always needed. Sometimes she felt like it was an addiction, something she had to do or things didn't feel right. Even her slowdown in improvement unsettled her. She supposed it might have been due to all the combat. It kept her from regularly visiting the gym, which could slow her growth, though she wouldn't accept that. She should be able to improve no matter what. She needed to spend more time in the gym, and she couldn't blame her failure to make the time on the war.


	52. In the calm

**100 Challenges  
**

**Promp052: Deep in Thought**

**Title: In the calm  
**

* * *

Sometimes, even in combat, there were times of rest and peace. During those times it was hard not to think. To most people thinking is a good thing, but if a soldier really thought, they started to question. Question things they would never get answers to. This was the reason Kathleen avoided any thought other than strategy.

Still, in the calm like this, it was hard for even her to not think too much. The Covenant had backed off from their position, for now. She was sure they'd be back. Until then her soldiers were taking a break, regrouping. Kathleen stared out at the corpse-covered battlefield. Grunts, jackals, brutes, and hunter bodies lay about the open space. It had been a long fight but a successful one.

Kathleen wondered what the Covenant would try next. They'd already tried almost all of their tricks. Ground troops, ghosts, choppers, banshees, and even wraiths had been sent after her team. The only options left were scarabs, seraphs, and cruisers. Seeing as the Covenant wanted this location, she wasn't really worried about the cruisers, or the seraphs for that matter. Scarabs, although big and powerful, didn't scare her much either. Her team had taken them down before, and would again before the war was over.

Her mind then wandered to the other soldiers currently fighting. She'd seen the pods dropping from orbit, so there were ODST fighting. She was sure there had been other pelicans sent down so there were marines and soldiers on the planet. The real question was, were they still fighting? This far into an engagement it wasn't uncommon for most ground troops to have already been killed. It really all depended on the soldiers, and what the Covenant attacked them with. If there was a scarab stomping around it wouldn't have been much trouble killing some average ground troops. Even ODST would find a scarab rather hard to beat. It would take a Spartan, or her soldiers, to take a scarab down.

The thought of Spartans made Kathleen's attention turn to the threat of the super soldiers. Maria had reported some time ago the deployment of Spartans. There had been no sign of them yet, though, which was good news. Having them show up now would cause big problems. She would have to abandon her soldiers in order to remain hidden, per her orders. At a time like this, where the Covenant would be throwing their best stuff at them, she would be needed by her team. Hopefully the Spartans would stay away and not mess everything up.

Kathleen wondered what Spartans had been deployed. She had a list of Spartans she knew were dead, but she had no idea which were still alive. Sure, she had a mental list of ones she'd seen in reports and in news articles, but that was a small list and left the fate of many Spartans unknown. It seemed the same small group of Spartans were always used as the poster boys for the war. The old squad leader, she couldn't recall his name at the moment, was the most prevalent. She'd seen Kurt once, but only once. Will had been in the background of one picture, so had Kelly. She'd seen Fred a couple times.

Kathleen wondered if Fred was even still alive. She hadn't seen him in any articles in a while. It always seemed to be just the Master Chief, though the article always stated it was a team of Spartans. A slight smile tugged at her lips. Fred had probably asked not to be featured. He'd never been comfortable with being the center of attention. She was sure that part of him had never changed. The amusement faded as Kathleen came to the question that kept rearing its ugly head in her mind. Would Fred recognize who she now was after all these years?

"Sarge, we got Spartans." James's words snapped Kathleen out of her thoughts.

Kathleen pushed the question to the back of her mind. It was one she would never get an answer to, so there was no point in dwelling on it.


	53. Why

**100 Challenges  
**

**Prompt 053: Keep a secret**

**Title: Why?  
**

* * *

Kathleen looked over as Sheila sat down beside her. The other female trainee had a wide grin on her face. "Can you keep a secret?" Sheila asked.

Kathleen hesitated for a moment. She could keep a secret, but she didn't like to. "Yeah, I can." It technically wasn't a lie, and if they argued Kathleen was sure she could win.

"Will saw John and Kelly in the woods the other day…making out." Sheila seemed so excited by the gossip, as though this little event was more exciting than any training exercise.

Kathleen was not as excited. "So, I thought that it was obvious that was going to happen. You're acting like he caught them having sex or something." Kathleen was not a big fan of blowing such small things out of proportion.

"I haven't gotten to the part that's the secret." Sheila sighed and then continued. "The secret part of it is that both Fred and Linda were upset about it when they found out."

Kathleen frowned at the information. Linda, she couldn't see a reason why she would care, unless Linda liked John. There was a more important question, though. "Why does Fred care?" She managed to hide the majority of her curiosity from the words, covering it with moderate disinterest. The only reason she could think of Fred being upset couldn't be true, if he valued his life.

"Well the only reason I can see is that he likes Kelly and is mad she's with John." Sheila relaxed a bit in her seat, some of the excitement easing away. "He didn't say anything about it though, so I had no idea." Kathleen stood up and Sheila raised an eyebrow. "Where are you going?"

"To gather information." Kathleen moved off, leaving a confused Sheila behind.

Fred's back hit the wall, hard. Before he could react her forearm was at his neck, pressing against his windpipe. It was hard to breathe but he managed words. "What do you want? I didn't do anything."

Kathleen glared at the almost 14-year-old trainee. "You are going to answer me honestly and fully." The look in her eyes told him he shouldn't dare to test her. "Why are you upset about John and Kelly?"

Fred stared at her for a moment, stunned. "That's what this is about?" He suddenly became angry and started to struggle. "Let me go."

"Not until you answer the question." Kathleen applied a bit more pressure to his neck. Fred's hands grabbed her arm to try to pull it away. "Answer me."

Fred tried to pull her arm away, finding it hard to manage a solid breath. "Because of you."

Kathleen scowled at his answer. "How is it my fault?" She moved away, letting him go and finally allowing him to breathe. "I didn't have any part in it."

"You just don't get it." Fred rubbed at his throat as he took deep breathes, trying to fill his burning lungs. "John is squad leader. He always follows the rules, no matter what."

"So what? You're upset because he broke the rules? You do that all the time, and that has nothing to do with me. I didn't make him do it." Kathleen didn't understand what he meant. His answer didn't seem to have any logic to it.

"That's not it." Fred let out an aggravated groan. "I'm jealous of him because he's out sucking face with Kelly and you won't even hold my hand. He's willing to break the rules to be with the person he likes, and you won't even admit that you like me."

Kathleen furrowed her brow. "That's what you're upset about?" She shoved Fred hard enough he hit the wall. "I should have known it was something stupid like that. Man up, Fredric." She turned and walked away from him.

Kathleen looked up at the agitated Sheila. She put her knife away, turning her attention to the other trainee. "What?"

"You said you could keep a secret." Sheila crossed her arms, waiting for an excuse.

"I can, but it doesn't mean I always will," Kathleen countered. In seconds the two trainees were on the ground, fighting.


	54. Hunter

**100 Challenges**

**Prompt 054: Tower**

**Title: Hunter**

Kathleen stared at the alien as it towered over her. At twelve feet in height it was one of the most frightening sights to a soldier in the field. Tall, bulky, and nearly impossible to injure, hunters were a real threat. They destroyed everything in their path and without much effort. Unless you had a rocket launcher or tank you were basically screwed. Kathleen had seen evidence of the monsters in the past, but this was her first time actually seeing one, let alone facing one.

There was no official information in the UNSC database but Kathleen had seen terrified soldiers in the field, muttering about giant walking tank monsters. All other soldiers who met hunters were dead. There were reports and rumors of a heavy weapon Covenant, but this was not what Kathleen had expected. It moved slowly and carried a large gun on its right arm like none that Kathleen had ever seen. From this close up she could see the worms wiggle in the openings of the armor. Could such small weak things really make up this monstrosity?

The hunter let out a great deep roar and raised its left arm. The large bulky shield was attached to the arm and the hunter lifted it like it was nothing. The shield started to slam down toward Kathleen but she moved quickly. The shield hit the ground where Kathleen had stood, cracking the ground slightly. The hunter then raised its gun and aimed where Kathleen now was. The weapon charged a brilliant green as the energy gathered.

Kathleen didn't know what kind of power the gun had, but from the multitude of burned bodies that she'd seen in the field she didn't doubt that it would be big. She wasn't about to give the hunter the satisfaction of making her another one of its victims. Kathleen ducked down and moved closer to the large enemy. The gun went off and she could feel the heat of the blast. From the feel of it, the weapon was at least as powerful as a wraith shot, if not more.

Kathleen took action, climbing up onto the front of the alien's armor. She didn't really know what to do but she let her instincts take control. Her hands shot toward the exposed eels of the hunter's neck and started to grab them, squeezing tight and pulling some out. The hunter flailed around a bit, unsure of what to do as it was being attacked. No human had ever attacked it like this. Orange blood coated her hands as she continued to frantically attack. It let out a cry of what she could only guess was pain and flung her to the side.

Kathleen moved to her feet and charged toward the hunter. It tried to slice the air with its shield but she dropped down under the shield and slid over the ground. When Kathleen had reached the other side of the alien she sprang to her feet. She grabbed a grenade from her belt and gripped the side of the hunter's back armor. She shoved her hand up into the exposed part of the armor. When she pulled her hand out she took the pin of the grenade with it. Kathleen dove to the side as the explosive went off, sending a shower of orange over the surrounding area.

Kathleen looked up to find herself facing another hunter, its gun leveled at her head. Crap, they came in pairs.


	55. Patient

**100 Challenge**

**Prompt: 055 Waiting**

**Title: Patient**

* * *

Kathleen lay in the mud, ignoring the uncomfortable feeling as water pooled around her. Usually she loved the rain, but at this moment it was making her rather miserable. Her clothing was soaked, it was cold, and the water kept running down into her eyes. Still, she lay completely still, not daring to make a move. She had to bide her time until her pray arrived.

The wind rushed through the trees and the leaves above Kathleen fluttered. She feared her cover would blow away but it remained in place. When she'd first settled in she'd stuck together the leaves she used as cover as best she could, creating a blanket of leaves together. She'd hoped it would stay together enough to keep her covered and not give away her position. She was one with her surroundings, at least in a visual sense, certain that she couldn't be seen. Around her she knew there were others, though she couldn't tell where they were exactly.

The sound of engines filled the air. The moment had come. Still, Kathleen lay, waiting for the perfect chance. The sound grew louder until the vehicles appeared on the horizon. They thundered down the road, completely unaware. When they got within feet of her position, Kathleen turned a stick near her. Her team had gathered stones and sharpened them to a point before attaching them to the stick. With it covered in a bit of mud it had made a perfect rudely made camouflaged spike stick. The lead warthog ran over the stick. The stones did their job and the tires of the jeep were punctured, letting out their air in one great rush.

The jeep limped to a stop, the driver cursing loudly. He motioned to the passenger and the unhappy marine got out of the warthog. Kathleen heard him say something about the tires and then the driver got out. They stood at the front of the vehicle, arguing about how they were going to fix the issue. The driver of the second warthog climbed up a bit, shouting to the two that were trying to deal with the flat tires.

The soldiers didn't even see it, though it was obvious to Kathleen. She'd have to berate them later for it. Even she shouldn't be able to notice their movements. They had pulled several packs of supplies out of the back of the vehicle. They made three passes before she heard the signal. The sound of a red winged Mora rang through the air. Kathleen smirked. She'd have to make a note of that. Max was great at bird calls. She'd taught them all a series of calls they could use in the forest to signal each other. The red winged Mora wasn't at all natural to this part of Reach, but the soldiers by the vehicles obviously didn't know that.

The call meant that they had all of the supplies. Kathleen moved slowly, letting the soldiers just deal with their vehicle while she shrank back into the forest. She met up with Matthew, James, and Emily before they moved back toward the large fallen tree that they were using to meet up. Edward and David were already going through the supplies, separating them.

"So what's our haul?" Kathleen motioned to Peter and then to the fallen tree. He nodded and moved up the tree so that he could watch out for them.

"We got a crate of food, another of ammunition, and the last one is full of uniforms." David pushed one of the crates to the side. "So then, what's the plan, ma'am?"

Kathleen sat down. "Put the ammunition in a hiding spot. Edward, give me a full inventory of the uniforms. Emily, Matthew, come with me. We're going to go watch the patrols. I want to be sure that we know what exactly they are so we don't have any mess ups."

The soldiers nodded. "Ma'am, I have a question." Kathleen turned to Tobias when he spoke. "Won't they know that we stole the supplies? I mean, we busted their tires."

"They would suspect us anyway, no matter how we stole them. Point is, they've lost ammunition, which makes things a bit easier. Stay focused. Let them get mad, then they make mistakes. We won't."

Kathleen left it at that, moving off and knowing that Emily and Matthew were behind her.


	56. Bad Feeling

**100 Challenges**

**Prompt 056: Danger Ahead**

**Title: Bad feeling  
**

* * *

Kathleen sat on the medical bed, looking over the laser etched incision marks. She didn't know what they were going to do, but she didn't like it. They wouldn't let her leave her room, they wouldn't tell her anything, and there were so many people. They were always checking on her bio-signs but ignored her when she asked questions.

Finally she was alone, though she'd been told to stay on her bed. She was just about to break those orders when Fred walked in. He didn't look half as unsettled as Kathleen felt. "So, are you excited?" There was a grin on Fred's face.

Kathleen raised an eyebrow. "Excited about what? Being cut open by some medics, and what are you doing out of your room? There's no way you're breaking the rules." She crossed her arms, waiting for him to explain.

Fred scowled at her. "What are you talking about? I wasn't told to stay in my room." He moved over, sitting on the bed beside her. "Aren't you excited? We're going to be stronger and faster."

Kathleen stared at him, confused. He hadn't been told to stay in his room? Then why had she? It only made her more nervous. "I don't understand what you're talking about. What do you mean become stronger and faster?"

Fred tilted his head to the side. "The procedures they are going to do. One of the medics told me they were going to make us better, improve us."

Kathleen shifted uncomfortably. "They won't tell me anything." She leaned forward, resting her arms on her knees. "They talk in whispers, refuse to let me know anything, won't let me leave this room." Her gaze traveled around the room, looking over the smooth walls and the equipment around her bed.

Fred fidgeted. "What do you think that means?" He was obviously worried. "You don't think it means something bad, do you?"

Kathleen didn't answer right away. "I think it means something bad might happen. I have no idea what, but it might have to do with whatever they plan to do to improve us." Her gaze was blank as she analyzed the situation. "Maybe I'm more at risk of complications with whatever they are going. Maybe they are just being careful."

Fred shifted and she knew he wanted to reach out to her. He'd always been like that. He wanted to comfort her, take away the unease, but she knew there was nothing he could do. "So…you think something's going to go wrong?"

Kathleen pinched the bridge of her nose. "I don't know. I just feel like something bad is going to happen. I don't know what, just like…It feels wrong." She didn't have words for it. Her instincts told her there was danger right in front of her face but she couldn't see it.

Fred opened his mouth a few times and then shut it again. Kathleen jabbed him in the side, forcing him to speak. "I just…I wanted…" He groaned, unable to bring himself to speak. Kathleen glared at him and he took a deep breath. "I just wanted to say, I love you , so you have to come out alive." He shut his eyes and waited for the hit.

Usually Kathleen would have hit him, but at the moment, she didn't feel like it. She pulled him toward her, bringing their lips together for only a second. When they broke apart she looked at Fred. "I.." She could see the pleading look in Fred's eyes. He wanted to hear the words from her. For the sake of trying not to be too mean she swallowed her discomfort and spoke. "I love you too, Fred, so you have to make it as well." She'd never said those words before, and since she might be dead by the end of it she saw no reason not to say it. Before she could react Fred's lips crashed into hers. They broke apart a few seconds later and he was grinning like a fool. Fred leaned toward her for another kiss. Kathleen stopped him and pushed him a bit away. "Don't push it."

Fred grabbed the hand that was pushing him away. He lifted it up and kissed the back of her hand before he stood. "I'll see you on the other side." He lingered for a moment, as though fearing what would haven after he left. He swallowed his worry and turned, leaving Kathleen once more alone.


	57. What must be given up

**100 prompt  
**

**Prompt 057: Sacrifice**

**Title: What must be given up**

* * *

Kathleen stood before her soldiers, looking them over. Soldiers might not be the right name for them. They weren't yet to a standard that she would consider a soldier. It had been a few weeks, but she wanted to be sure that they understood who they were, what they were fighting for, and what she expected of them.

"We are the Orbital Drop Shock Spartans. What does that mean?" She was glad to see that none of them tried to answer. It wasn't a question she wanted an answer to. "It means that we are the best of the UNSC. We are going to be the only hope of humanity to avoid the colonies spiraling into civil war."

Kathleen started to pace before them. She watched them, watching their gaze. They all faced forward, not watching her as she moved. "We must be willing to give up everything in order to be the best. There is no failing for us."

She stopped and turned to them. "From this moment on, your teammates, what you have in your locker and on your cot, are all that you have." She let those words sink in, though she didn't feel like it explained it enough. "Your friends and family, forget them. Your teammates are your only friends and family now. You will not be going home; you will not retire from being a soldier. You are giving yourself over to the UNSC, becoming a weapon for it to use."

She looked them over, though none of them looked upset by these words. "This is what you are giving up to be the best. As soldiers this will be the first of many sacrifices that you will make. Honor, duty, and sacrifice are some of the pillars of being a soldier. Only when you truly learn the meaning of these words will I call you my teammates, even close to being my equals."

Kathleen clasped her arms behind her back and stood up tall. "The day that you truly become a soldier you can call yourself an Orbital Drop Shock Spartan. You will bear that title with honor and dignity." She wanted to add that it would only be in public, but that felt like it would ruin the effect she wanted this speech to have on the trainees.

Kathleen began to move, walking before them. "The time to turn you into damn proper soldiers is running out. I'm going to have to kick up the speed of your training. Things are only going to get harder from here. You'll be watering the fields with your sweat." Again none of them seemed to be affected by these words. "Are there any questions."

"No, ma'am!" The soldiers shouted.

Kathleen nodded. "Get to bed, lights out in five." Kathleen moved toward her own cot and sat down. She looked around as her soldiers got ready for sleep. She knew that she was asking a lot of them to give up everything, not even ever write home, but it was what had to happen. Not only did the program want to mark them as KIA, giving their families fake stories about their deaths, but as long as they had bonds with those that were outside of the military, they would always be looking forward to returning home. She couldn't have that. They needed to be completely dedicated to their new position as soldiers. She wasn't asking them to forget that they'd ever had such bonds, just realize that those bonds were broken now. She reached up and ran a hand over the dog tags around her neck. She knew how it felt to have bonds broken, and not exactly by choice.

A part of her wondered if her parents had died because they hadn't fully given themselves to their job. She had to admit, that if the Spartans hadn't all died she would have found it hard to break the bonds she'd made with them. She shifted the tags to look at the names of her fallen teammates. She slid the tags back into her shirt and lay down on her cot.

Kathleen was asking them to give up the bonds that they had with friends and family. The most she could do was let go of these bonds she had with the fallen. It might be hard, but she'd at least have to try. The lights went out and Kathleen closed her eyes, drifting off to sleep.


	58. Hijack

**100 Challenges**

**Prompt 058: Kick in the Head**

**Title: Hijack**

* * *

Kathleen looked out from around the rock and spotted the purple vehicle as it moved through the area. It didn't seem to know where she was, which would work out perfectly for her soldiers and her. There were grunts at the base of the hill ahead of them, though they didn't seem to be in any hurry to make their way into the rocks to find the ODSS.

Kathleen shifted the plasma pistol in her hand. It didn't have much of a charge left, but it would have enough in order to do what she needed. She looked to Emily beside her and then nodded. The female private nodded and then moved out into the open, raising her SMR and firing on the ghost. It wouldn't do any actual damage but it would get the ghost's attention. Emily dove out of the way as plasma shots cut through the air.

Kathleen charged the plasma pistol and then moved out of cover just as the ghost neared. She fired and the ball of green streaked through the air. The EMP hit the ghost and it immediately lost all power. Kathleen moved forward without hesitating, she climbed up onto the roof of the ghost, grabbing the vehicle. With ease and skill she jumped up, her foot striking out, hitting the side of the grunt's skull. The small alien went flying from his seat and Kathleen slipped into his place.

The ghost rose up off of the ground and Kathleen turned it around. And faced the grunts that were all still trying to understand what had happened. Kathleen gunned it and the small aliens splattered against the hood of the ghost. Some of them tried to run off but they were taken down by shots from the pistols of the ODSS in the rocks.

Soon they were all dead and Kathleen climbed out of the ghost. She grabbed a plasma grenade and stuck it to the hood of the ghost before turning and walking back toward her soldiers. She head the vehicle explode but it didn't matter to her. It wasn't needed and now an enemy couldn't use it.

Kathleen moved back to where the ODSS were set up to defend the bridge that was at the top of the hill the Covenant had been near. The Covenant had been waiting for some sort of leadership to arrive, and the ODSS were going to be ready for them when they arrived. Kathleen settled in to wait for anything to come fight them.

"I have to admit, I love to kick grunts in the head, but you really don't get to do that too often." James leaned back against the solid railing of the bridge. "I mean, if they are running around you can't just kick them in the head. You only get to do that if they are in ghosts."

"That is fun." Peter shifted so that he could keep watch over the area. He was perched up on the railing as high as he could get. It was a bit unstable so Luke was below him holding onto his leg so he wouldn't fall. "Personally I prefer to shoot them in the skull."

"Says the man who shoots everything in the head like a little bitch." Luke smirked as the other man glared down at him. "Oh, you know it's the truth."

"Which is the best, kicking, shooting, stabbing, or punching a grunt in the head?" David leaned forward, letting his arms rest on his knees.

Edward's head tilted to the side. "Seems grunt heads are just fun to destroy."

Kathleen snorted and the soldiers looked to her. "Grunt heads were meant to be destroyed. That's why grunts exist, for us to have fun destroying their skulls."

Patrick chuckled. "She's got a point." He shook his head a bit. "Grunts, nature's headshot machines." The soldiers laughed and launched into a long conversation about the different Covenant species and the best way to kill them.


	59. Get out Alive

**100 Challenges**

**Prompt 059: No way out**

**Title: Get out alive**

* * *

The sound of the enemy banging on the door echoed in the room. Kathleen cursed to herself. She didn't think the doors would hold out for much longer. She was on her last clip of ammunition for her SMG. From the sound of it there were at least twenty grunts, a dozen jackals, five brutes, at least one of them a chieftain.

She knew that her team didn't have much more ammunition then she did. If the Covenant got in then it might not be a very long fight, though there is no way that she would go down without taking them all down with her.

"Oh man, they're going to get in." Kathleen turned to look at the troop. They had met up with the team of seven troopers when they'd taken cover in the structure. "There's no way out. We're going to die in here." Kathleen could hear the terror in his voice. She wondered how many other times he had met up with the Covenant.

"Man would you be quiet. Hendricks is already feeling out and you're not making it better." The second trooper seemed more in control of himself. Kathleen could see the bur scar that covered part of the man's hand. This definitely wasn't his first time.

"He should be freaking out. We're going to be torn apart by those big apes. You saw the bodies we found in that office." The scared soldier was very visibly shaking.

"Stow it soldier!" The troopers turned to look to Kathleen. Her voice, masked by her voice filter, seemed to thunder in the small space. "We aren't dead yet so shut it. You're a soldier so suck it up."

The troopers were stunned for a moment. "But how exactly are we going to get out?" the second trooper asked.

Kathleen smirked behind her visor. "Well we're low on ammunition, have only one exit and the Covies are banging for us to let them in. I figured we'd fight our way out and be sure to slaughter every last Covenant while we leave." She turned to her team. "Sound good to you?" the soldiers all nodded and Kathleen readied her gun. "Sounds like we've got a way out."

"Wait, you want us to go out there, fight those Covenant with basically no ammunition. There's no way that we can do that. We won't last a second against them. There are brutes out there." The frightened soldier was shouting now, but Kathleen didn't show any indication she'd even noticed.

"Damn it, Jeffers, you do realize you're telling a Spartan it can't do something, right?" Kathleen scowled at the calm soldier's words. She hated it when she was mistaken for a Spartan. "I've seen what these guys can do in the field. If he says that we can make do, then he can do it."

Kathleen was glad that the soldier seemed to be trying to convince the scared man that there was nothing to worry about, but she could feel it from her soldiers. There was an air of annoyance that she was sure only she noticed. The ODSS were at the ready, and they'd all do their equal part to get them out. Emily and Edward were crouched at the door, their weapons ready though as soon as they were empty she knew they'd drop them for either Covenant weapons or in favor of their knives. Patrick was at the controls, ready to hit them and release the door when the time came.

"I don't care if he's a Spartan." It seemed the Jeffers wasn't convinced. "Not even a Spartan can go against a ton of brutes with only a little ammunition."

The calm soldier didn't seem affected by his words. "You have no idea what one can do. I've seen one jump into a bunker and take out a ton of Covenant all on his own. I don't doubt that a Spartan and some ODST can get us out of here."

Kathleen turned away from them. "Whether you think we can do it or not is irrelevant. It's what we're doing, or are you going to go against my orders." The soldiers both said nothing and Kathleen turned to Patrick. "Open them, we're leaving."


	60. SnakesinthePillow

**100 Challenges**

**Prompt 060: Rejection**

**Title: Snakes-in-the-pillow**

* * *

Kathleen sat, arms crossed, sulking. To those that passed by it might look like she was pouting, but she'd never admit that she was. Kathleen didn't look up as another trainee walked over to her. He sat down and they were silent for a few minutes before his presence started to annoy him. "What do you want?"

He leaned a bit toward Kathleen until his shoulder was touching hers. "I came to see what you were doing, see if you wanted to play a game with me." Will put his weight against her and Kathleen glared at the boy. "Come on, don't sulk. You don't look good when you sulk."

Kathleen pushed him away and he let her so he was just sitting beside her. "I'm not sulking. I'm angry." Will raised an eyebrow and Kathleen huffed. "I just don't see why they wouldn't let me play."

Will didn't answer right away. "They just can't handle it when you play. They aren't tough like you and me so when you play rough they don't like it." Kathleen did have to admit that she tended to play a bit rougher than the others. "Maybe we can get the rest of our team and play a game. They can handle you."

Kathleen smirked. "Even you guys can't handle the way I play. I'd knock you flat out." She let the shoulder closest to Will dip down while the other rose up as she leaned toward him. "I could mess you up."

Will smiled back at her and shrugged a bit. "I bet you could, though I think you'd have a problem with beating up Fred."

Kathleen chuckled. "You really think I wouldn't knock him out? I think you're challenging me to do it. What makes you think that I wouldn't?" Will gave her a knowing grin and Kathleen understood. She sat back up and frowned at him. "Don't challenge me, Will. I don't like being challenged."

Will relaxed looking forward. "Fine, I won't challenge you."

"Good, cause we shouldn't be talking about beating up our teammates." Kathleen stood up and started to pace. Her mind was working, already laying out a plan.

"Then what should we be talking about?" Will leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees and waiting for an answer.

"We should be talking about how we are going to beat them up during the next exercises." Kathleen pointed toward the field where the other trainees were playing a game. "I'll show them that me playing a game is tame compared to me in combat."

Will chuckled and stood up as well. "Well that sounds like a good idea. How about, first, we play a game of hide the snake in the pillows?"

Kathleen smiled at him and put a hand on Will's shoulder. She realized that he'd grown taller. He was at least three inches taller than her now. "I knew there was a reason you were my best friend." Will grinned at her words and Kathleen smirked. "Go get a bucket. I know where they like to gather."

Will moved off and Kathleen turned back to the field. She did feel a bit evil for what she was about to do, but she didn't mind that. In her mind they had insulted her, so they deserved what they were going to get.


	61. Revised

**100 Challenges**

**Prompt 061: fairy tale**

**Title: Revised**

* * *

"The knight swung his sword and it cut through the dragon's chest. The beast roared in pain and collapsed to the ground. With the monster slain the knight made is way up the tower to free the princess. When he arrived the princess was overjoyed. The knight whisked her away, back to her kingdom where they were wed and lived happily ever after." Jorge closed the book and sat back, satisfied with how well he'd read the story.

"That was stupid." Jorge frowned as he turned to the speaker, Kathleen. "It doesn't make any sense at all. It's stupid."

Jorge groaned. "It's a fairy tale. It has magic and monsters. Don't try to make sense of it. It's for fun, that sort of stuff doesn't actually exist."

"I don't have a problem with the magic or monster; I just don't see why the knight was necessary." Kathleen moved from lying on her stomach to sitting up. "I mean, he wasn't really needed."

James scowled. "How was he not needed? He had to kill the dragon. The princess couldn't be free until he did."

"No he wasn't," Kathleen argued. "His first sword couldn't cut through the dragon's skin, remember. He could only kill it once he grabbed the sword that was on the alter. That meant it was just that he got lucky. Any other knight could have grabbed the sword. Hell, the princess could have done it."

"She's right." Kelly shifted so she was raised up on her elbows. John flinched as her elbows dug into his back. When the story had started John had lay down to listen, and Kelly, in what Kathleen suspected was an act of punishment for a comment earlier that day, had decided to use him as her own personal body pillow while she listened to the story.

"Yeah, I agree." Sheila didn't move from where she was laying. Kathleen knew she would agree, but then again they shared the same view on not needing someone else to save them. "It's completely stupid."

Fred shifted beside Kathleen so that he was laying on his back and looking up at her. "Well then how would you have the story go?"

Kathleen thought about it for a moment. "Well, I guess since she spent years in the tower, the princess could have gotten friendly with the dragon. It did show a level of intelligence, so I'm sure she could have at least made friends enough with it to be allowed to walk the castle grounds. From there she could either try to just leave, be happy living in a castle with a dragon to protect her, try to tame the dragon and explore the world with her fire-breathing pet, or she could kill the dragon herself…No, that last one is stupid and I think it constitutes animal cruelty."

"You want her to make friends with the dragon?" Jorge asked.

Kathleen nodded. "That's the most logical thing to do." She crossed her arms and smirked. She was confident she had an argument that would get them on her side. "Think of it like the rebel problem. The princess represents the human colonies."

"So the knight is the UNSC and the dragon is the rebels?" Sam furrowed his brow, trying to understand how that made since for the point that Kathleen was trying to make.

"No, no, you're all wrong. The knight is the rebels and the dragon is the UNSC." Kathleen could see that the others didn't understand. "The princess is safe in her tower, because the dragon keeps all threats away and the princess has a home in the castle. If she works with the dragon she'll have a good happy life and she won't have to worry about being attacked. The knight comes galloping in, thinking he's saving the princess from the bad dragon, but really he's just removing the thing that's keeping her safe." Kathleen looked around and could see that more of the trainees understood her point. "The rebels think they are liberating the colonies just as the knight things he's liberating the princess. If you remove the preconceived notions we know we can see the truth." Now it seemed like most of the kids understood. "So I say I hope the dragon eats the knight. Long live the dragon."

"You are so weird." Fred found himself hitting the floor a second later as Kathleen pushed him off the cot.


	62. Unimpressed

**100 challenge. **

**Prompt 062: magic**

**Title: Unimpressed**

Kathleen sat with the other kids from the orphanage, waiting for the show to start. She wasn't at all as excited as the others. A crimson curtain had been hung in the play room and the kids had all gathered around it. Kathleen sat at the front of the group, waiting for the show to start.

A man moved out to stand before the curtain. He wore a black tuxedo, a black top hat on his head, and a wand in his hand. He made a flurry as he bowed. "Greetings, children. I am Abraham the Amazing." Kathleen scowled, that was a stupid name. The man pulled out a deck of cards.

He started to shuffle the cards and asked for a volunteer. Kathleen didn't raise her hand, but maybe that was the reason why he chose her. She looked like a kid that was not having fun. She supposed he was trying to force her to have fun. Reluctantly Kathleen stood up and looked out at the kids. They looked annoyed with the fact she'd been chosen. Just great, more reason for them to dislike her.

The man had Kathleen pull a card out of the deck and she did. Kathleen didn't show any excitement as she showed the cart to the children then handed it back to the man. He shuffled again and then pulled out her car, holding it up with a flourish of motion as though it were some great feat.

"Yeah, that's my card." Kathleen didn't sound at all excited. She really wasn't impressed.

The man knelt down and smiled at her. "You don't seem too amazed." He was pleasant and how happy he was annoyed Kathleen.

"I'm not amazed. Magic isn't real." Kathleen frowned at him. She fought the urge to tell him how stupid he was being. That might get her in trouble.

The man was surprised for a second but then he hid it behind a smile. "Oh, but magic is real." He reached back behind Kathleen's ear and pulled out a quarter. He handed it to her. "Every kid believes in magic."

"Well I don't believe in magic. So obviously you're wrong." Kathleen crossed her arms and refused to take the coin when he offered it to her. "Your act is stupid."

The man didn't seem to want to believe her. "Oh, I'm sure that I can make you believe in magic." He sat back a bit as he seemed to have an idea. "What could I do that would make you believe in magic?"

Kathleen thought about it for a second and then spoke. "You could bring my parents back." Kathleen had never seen an adult so speechless. She could tell he didn't even know how to reply to that. "You know, raise them from the dead. There might not be enough of my dad left but I think there's enough of my mom." She was using a casual tone just so he would feel more uncomfortable.

The man laughed. "Is there, anything else that I can do?" He said, obviously not wanting to admit that he just couldn't raise her parents from the grave.

"Well then there's nothing you can do." Kathleen turned to the crowd and spread her arms. "There is no magic." She was surprised to find herself roughly being pulled to the side by one of the adults.

Apparently they didn't see her logic.


	63. Silent

**100 challenges **

**Prompt 063: Do not disturb**

**Title: Silent**

They were careful with each and every step. If they made too much noise then it could blow things for them, or at least make things harder. They could just fight their way in, stab and shoot whatever got in their way, but if they didn't have to it would save them time, and time was something they could use.

The small aliens were all over the place. They sat on the ground, heads hanging, hands meeting between the ground in the space between them. Kathleen could hear the slight snoring from a few of them. It was odd to think that aliens snored as well. They would have been cute if it weren't for the fact that one wrong move, too much noise, and they would wake and start filling the air with plasma.

Usually the ODSS would make their way through, killing each and every enemy, but they'd been ordered to destroy a Covenant camp. In order to be able to plant the explosives they'd decided to sneak in. If they started smashing skulls before they got the explosives planted, then the Covenant would know they were coming and everything would become much harder.

Rather than her full team she'd taken only six of her soldiers. David, Emily, Edward, Peter, Luke, and Tobias. They were slowly making their way closer and closer to the target. David brought them to a stop when they neared an elite that stood in the way. They had found a few of these so far and they had been taking them out one by one.

Kathleen looked to the side Where David, Tobias, and Luke were doing rock-paper-scissors in order to decide who would get to kill it. Kathleen didn't wait for them. She moved forward and without a sound she pulled out her knife. The blade spun effortlessly in her hand so that the blade was pointing toward the sky. She moved like lightning, driving the blade into the base of the elite's skull. The elite flailed for just a second before it went limp.

The flailing was enough to wake up a pair of grunts nearby. They shouted in fear and turned to run. Before they could make it more than a couple steps Emily and Edward descended. In fluid motions that were synchronous to the point of weird they snapped the necks of the two small aliens.

Kathleen pulled the elite's body to the side, doing her best to hide it between two large rocks. It was out of the way and she was confident that no one would find it. Emily and Edward had set up the grunts back where they'd been sleeping; positioning them as though they were still resting. It wouldn't pass close inspection, but it would do from a distance and give them enough time to do their job.

Kathleen motioned for the others to move up. She put her index finger in front of her helmet to signal them to remain silent. She then used two fingers and motioned for them to continue on. David moved to take the lead and the soldiers moved on. As they moved on they found that the cries of the grunts and the death of the elite hadn't disturbed any of the other grunts that were all over the area.

They'd just have to hope that they didn't wake more. As they reached a wide area she sighed. The area was littered with sleeping grunts. Now this might be a challenge.


	64. Workout

**100 challenge**

**Prompt 064: Multitasking**

**Title: Workout**

Kathleen stared at the screen in her hand, though she was finding it hard to keep it steady as she moved. It wasn't enough of a problem that she couldn't still read the screen; it was just a bit harder than if she was sitting still.

She didn't even notice the other person enter the room. He didn't say anything right away, just watched her. "What are you doing? Everyone else finished like an hour ago."

Kathleen didn't look away from the screen. "That's because everyone else is only doing the basics. I'm not settling for the basics."

Fred furrowed his brow, not exactly understanding. Then again Kathleen did plenty of things Fred didn't understand. "That still doesn't explain what you're doing."

"I'm improving myself." Fred opened his mouth but Kathleen spoke before he could say anything. "If you say I don't need improvement or can't be improved I'll hit you." Fred shut his mouth. "I have plenty to improve, and so do you."

Fred sat down beside her, looking a bit dejected. "How exactly does reading while doing sit-ups improve you?"

"I'm getting physical exercise while growing my knowledge." Kathleen scrolled down the screen. "It's called multitasking."

Fred didn't say anything for a moment. He was struggling to find some way to continue the conversation. "So…what are you reading?"

Kathleen stopped doing sit-ups. She glanced over toward the weight machines. "Stories about a rebel attack."

Fred noticed her looking over at the equipment. He grabbed the datapad from her. "I'll hold it for you." Kathleen shrugged and stood. Fred followed her over to a lat pull-down machine. "So why are you reading about this incident with some rebels?"

Kathleen settled onto the bench. She moved the lock pin to set it to the proper weight before grabbing the bar above. "It's for personal reasons, Fred. Just let it go." She pulled the bar down, once the bar was in front of her face, she let it fall part of the way but keeping a grip on the bar.

They fell into silence and Fred simply held up the datapad. It wasn't unusual for them to sit in silence, but it was when Fred didn't have anything to do. Usually, without an activity of his own, Fred would be trying to get Kathleen to talk to him. The fact he wasn't was concerning.

Kathleen tore her gaze away from the words and looked to Fred. She finally realized why he was being so quiet. Fred was staring at her. There was something different in the way he was watching her. Something she'd never seen before. It was like each and every move she made was so fascinating to him that he couldn't look away. "What's so interesting?"

Fred was surprised that he'd been caught staring. He looked away, his cheeks a bit red. "Nothing, I was just spaced out."

Kathleen shook her head a bit. "No you weren't. I know what you look like when you're spaced out. That was not spaced out."

"Are you even still reading this?" Fred moved the datapad a bit. "My arm's getting tired."

Fred was obviously trying to change the subject. "I'm not reading it. I'm more interested in what sort of look you were giving me."

"I was not giving you a look." Fred turned the screen around so it was facing him. "Then I guess I'll read this to find out what was so interesting."

The weights of the machine fell, hitting the rest of the weights with a loud clang as Kathleen released the bar. She was on Fred in a second, pinning him to the ground. She was straddling his waist, her hand pinning the hand holding the datapad down. She easily removed it from his hand. Fred had been too stunned, and something that Kathleen couldn't quite identify. Fred had frozen under her and his cheeks were a bright read.

Kathleen leaned over him, frowning at the nervous and fearful look on his face. "Are you all right?" She frowned at him, trying to figure out what was wrong. Fred suddenly pushed Kathleen off of him and scooted himself away from her. Kathleen tilted her head to the side, frowning at him. "What's your issue?"

Fred opened his mouth but no words came out. He turned and ran for it. Kathleen watched him leave the room, having no idea what was wrong with him.


	65. Comedy

**100 challenge**

**Prompt 065: Horror**

**Title: Comedy**

It was an unusual treat she'd set up for her soldiers. Rather than having an afternoon training she'd gotten Maria to retrieve an old horror film for them. The last month had been a blur of combat and cryo, so she'd decided to do something that would be out of the ordinary.

The man on the screen was screaming as he cut through his skin and bone to remove his foot. The soldiers watched, none of them affected by the gore on the screen. "Is it bad that a guy cutting off his foot doesn't freak us out?" Patrick frowned as he looked to the others.

"We're soldiers in a war against an alien enemy. We've seen jackals eating a person. So no, it's not bad." Edward put an arm around Emily's shoulder as he got more comfortable. "If it freaked us out we'd be unable to handle our jobs."

"Guess you're right. But it ruins movies like this. I mean it's not half as scary as real life." Patrick leaned back in his seat, seeming to be bored.

"You're looking at it the wrong way." They all looked to Kathleen. "I didn't choose it as a horror film. I chose it as a comedy."

Tobias frowned and shot Tym a confused look before turning to Kathleen. "You do know that's a bit crazy, don't you?"

Kathleen frowned at him. "Like you said, real life is a horror film for us." She motioned toward the screen. "These deaths are illogical and stupid. It's a comedy. We just watched a guy cut off his foot after the guy next to him was eaten alive by cats. They were both healthy and they couldn't fight off some house hold cats. I mean even Max could fight off ODSK."

"Well, that was rather stupid." David admitted. "And that cop that they have investigating the murders would have been taken off the case a long time ago because of personal connections to one of the victims."

"Oh, and how about when the first victim tried to escape. That lock couldn't have been picked with that bobby pin." Matthew chuckled. "Maybe this _is_ actually a comedy."

"It's all about how you look at it. Don't look at it with the eyes of a civilian. See with the eyes of an ODSS." Kathleen was glad they were seeing it her way, though she hadn't thought she'd need to explain it.

"You know, that makes me wonder what an action movie would look like for us." Emily shifted to lean against Edward so she could relax more.

"Well our daily lives are action movies usually. I guess it would end up one of two categories." Tobias seemed to be taking the topic a bit too serious. "They'd either be over the top and seem like comedies, or well done and be more like documentaries."

"No, they'd be dramas," Tym spoke up. "The action would be everyday life, so the personal stuff of the people would be what we would focus on."

"That's it. This conversation is getting depressing.' Kathleen rolled her eyes as she grabbed ODSK from the floor and set her on her lap. "Next time I'm getting a comedy .Maybe then you all will just laugh at it and not get all serious about our view of things."

The soldiers all looked to Max as he broke into laughter, pointing at the screen. "Did you see him cut his throat?" He struggled to suck in hair as he laughed. "That throat didn't look at all anatomically correct."

"All, right, maybe there is something wrong with us," David admitted.


	66. Killing Game

**100 challenges**

**Prompt 066: traps**

**Title: Killing Game**

* * *

Grunts were really such stupid creatures. They were so used to being cannon fodder they weren't very cautious. Because of this lack of hesitation the ODSS had made a contest out of setting traps for them. Right now was like the championship of that contest.

An old hotel was being used by the Covenant to house hundreds of grunts while they brought down heavy weapons and vehicles to assault a military base. To buy some time the ODSS were causing havoc. They'd jet packed onto the building and since then had been taking turns tricking and trapping grunts.

Right now red team was winning. They'd tricked a group of grunts into climbing into an industrial drier, and then turned it on. Kathleen had to admit she'd been impressed by the idea. Not to mention when a group had come to check out the sound the grunts had screamed and run away. She'd never been so glad for their sealed suits or the laughter of her soldiers would have given away their position.

Luckily, blue team had Edward. He was not only a good killer, but between him and Emily, they were creative. Kathleen stood by the main power controls, working on following the instructions that Maria was giving her. The main power grid was off, so she was setting up the backup generator so it could give power to the building's electrical plugs. Though they didn't just want power. When she flipped the switch the generator would let out a burst of electricity.

Through the building blue team was working. Patrick was making his way down the stairwell, shutting and locking all the doors to each level. Emily and Edward were making their way from room to room on each level. Emily shoved towels into the toilets and bathtub drains. All the while Edward was removing wall sockets and attaching wires which had been pulled from some kitchen equipment. He ran the wires down to the floor, letting them hang loosely. Once they finished Emily turned on the bath faucet to full and flushed the toilet, causing them to overflow. Once the water was flowing they moved on to the next room.

Patrick was the first to join Kathleen by the power. He gave her a thumbs up. Good, the grunts couldn't run. Once Emily and Edward had joined them Kathleen checked over her work. Once Patrick had checked and was satisfied everything was ready he nodded to Kathleen. She waited, counting to one hundred to give the water time to spread. She knew the grunts on each level would flock to the bathrooms, all looking to see what was going on.

Kathleen flicked the switch and there was no sound from above. Kathleen looked to Patrick and he shrugged. There was no way from down here to tell if the plan had worked. Kathleen flicked off the switch and Patrick checked voltage before removing the fuses and the wires they'd used to jump the fuses.

They slowly made their way up stairs. Patrick checked a socket and assured them there was no more voltage. They unlocked the stairway door and moved through the first floor. They found grunts around the bathroom, having all been electrocuted. They'd all stood around, probably hadn't had a clue what was going on. Blue team split up, pairs checking each of the twenty levels. They found nothing alive. When the building was clear they moved to the tourists building across the road where the rest of the ODSS were waiting.

"We win." Edward's tone made it clear that there was no argument.

"I completely agree." Peter chuckled as he lowered his sniper rifle. "I have to admit, seeing about twenty or so grunts standing around a bathroom all just suddenly drop was pretty funny."


	67. Three Chords

**100 Challenges**

**Prompt 067: Playing the melody**

**Title: Three chords**

* * *

Kathleen really didn't see a point to this. It was a boring activity and it wasn't going to help them as soldiers. Right now the guitar in her hands was more of an annoyance. She wasn't even listening to Fred as he tried to instruct her. She'd much rather be out exercising or on the firing range.

"Are you even listening?" Fred's words pulled her attention back to him. He looked annoyed that she'd been ignoring him.

Kathleen decided to be honest. "No, I'm not listening. This is pointless. What does this have to do with being a soldier?"

Fred frowned. "Why does everything have to be about being a soldier with you?" He often had an issue with Kathleen's pure focus on duty. "Don't you see the value of relaxing sometimes? You're not just a soldier; you're a person as well."

"First, no, I'm only a soldier." Kathleen slouched over the guitar. "Second, I don't see how playing a guitar is relaxing."

"I'm just teaching you enough so you can play the melody. It's only three notes." Fred leaned a bit against her. "Please."

Kathleen groaned and gave in. "Fine, I'll learn three notes. As long as you don't bug me about this ever again."

"Deal." Fred moved to sit down on the cot so he was right behind Kathleen, sitting the exactly same way that Kathleen was and facing her back. Kathleen froze as he settled behind her, chin resting on her shoulder. His hands took hers, moving them into position on the guitar. Kathleen suddenly felt awkward with him so close. He moved her hands for each note.

The truth was she'd already memorized the three cords. She just hadn't wanted to play the guitar. She would tell him she already knew the notes but she was enjoying the contact. For now she'd just pretend she didn't know the cords, if only to give her an excuse.

Fred stopped his motions. "So, do you get them or do you want me to show you again?"

Kathleen's pride wouldn't let her say she needed to be shown again. She fell back into her usual attitude to keep him from realizing she'd been more focused on him than the lesson. Her elbow jabbed into his side and he quickly moved away. "Of course I can play them. Who do you think you're talking to?" She shifted into position and played the three cords.

Fred smiled and grabbed his own guitar. He settled next to her and counted off. Kathleen played the notes just as he'd showed her. This was definitely one of the most pointless things she'd ever done. It served no purpose in her training and had no other value than getting Fred to leave her alone about it.

When they finished Fred was grinning. "See, that wasn't so bad." Kathleen glared at him. He sighed and shifted so she could see his hands. "Fine, I'll show you something that has to do with our training."

Kathleen watched as he carefully played six notes, the six notes of the all clear signal. Kathleen mimicked the six notes on her own guitar. "Well, I guess it wasn't completely useless."


	68. Don't understand

**100 Challenge**

**Prompt 068: Hero**

**Title: Don't understand**

* * *

Kathleen watched the screen as the video played. She didn't know why they were watching it, or why her soldiers wanted to. They watched as the admiral pinned a metal to the Spartan's chest. He'd just finished telling a short version of why the Spartan was receiving the award. Kathleen really wasn't paying attention.

The video ended and silence hung in the air. "Well that was stupid." Peter raised his feet up on the table before him. "I don't see how what they did was special."

"I don't really get it either. I mean, what's the big deal about driving off Covenant forces?" Max seemed to be contemplating the question.

"Wasn't that was they ordered to do? What's so heroic about following orders?" Tobias sounded frustrated. "It's not like they went out of their way to do it."

"Not to mention they couldn't have done it for not for us stopping those reinforcements from reaching the city." James was careful hiding his disapproval. His words were disapproving but his face and voice were neutral.

"They don't know we did that." Edward put his hands behind his head as he slid down a bit in his seat. "We were supposed to only be destroying that bridge."

"Yeah, cause our whole team is needed to destroy a bridge." Tym let out a slight chuckle. "Hell, it really would only take one of us."

"I'm just glad you asked me before taking out those troops. Wouldn't have wanted to have to come up with a punishment for not getting approval." Kathleen leaned against a wall. "Maybe you're finally learning."

Several of the soldiers grinned. "The day we learn Hell will freeze over." Tobias leaned forward a bit. "Besides, you didn't get approval from command. You're an awful influence."

"I am in charge. I don't need to ask permission to kick Covie ass. You do." Kathleen's voice was cold, making it clear that he shouldn't question her actions.

"Do you think that if we'd asked it would be us getting those awards?" Matthew was stills staring at the screen even though it had gone black.

"What part of 'we don't exist' do you not get?" James frowned at his partner. "No metals, no records, no acknowledgment."

"You sound like a whinny bitch." Emily glared at James and he shot one back. "Who cares about metals, records , or being acknowledged?" She relaxed a bit, looking uninterested and unaffected. "At least when we go into the mess hall people don't bug us, or try to chat with us just because they think we're someone special. We still know that we save lives, that we matter." Emily narrowed her gaze a bit. "If the only reason you're doing this is to get metals, be a hero, than you don't deserve to be here."

The room was silent for a moment. "Now you see why I don't argue with her." Edward smiled as he chuckled. "You can't argue against that sort of passion."

"You know, it's not like the Spartans are really going to be remembered." Everyone's gaze turned to Kathleen. "I mean, history will remember them by just the armor, the way they look, and what they were called. They won't remember the individuals. They remember ODST, Captains, and marines as individuals. The Spartans will not be that way. They don't even get to be marked as dead though we all know they do. Honestly, I'd rather never be known than never be allowed to die."

The soldiers were a silent. "I still don't see what the big deal is." Emily shrugged, closing her eyes and relaxing , putting the conversation behind her.


	69. Will

**100 Challenge**

**Prompt 069: Annoyance**

**Title: Will**

* * *

"Will you just leave me alone?" Kathleen glared at the boy beside her. "Why don't you find something to do what doesn't involve me?"

He chuckled. "Well where would the fun be in that? Things are usually more fun if I'm around you." He leaned a bit toward her.

Kathleen paused for a moment. "Are you hitting on me again?" He shrugged. "I thought I told you I wasn't interested."

"And you won't tell me why you're not interested," He shot back. "Besides, if I bug you enough maybe you'll become interested."

"It doesn't work that way." Kathleen crossed her arms. "If you bug me I get annoyed." She closed her eyes, trying to keep herself from attacking her friend.

"That's not going to stop me from pestering you. Fun things still tend to happen around you." He didn't seem at all worried about her growing anger. "So what are you going to do?"

"If you really must know, I was going to go for a hike." Kathleen stuck out her foot so he could see her hiking boots. "Happy now."

"I will be when I join you on that hike." He put an arm around Kathleen's shoulder. "You and I should go deep into the forest and explore something other than the wild frontier." There was a grin on his face like a Cheshire cat.

Kathleen stared at him for a moment. "Wow, hormones hit you really hard. You didn't used to be this forward."

"You have no idea. Since I saw you running on the treadmill earlier those kinds of thoughts have bouncing around in my head." His hand slowly moved from her shoulder and down her bare arm. "Come on, were' wasting time we could be using to get further away from prying eyes."

Kathleen pushed his arm off of her. "Your right, we are wasting time." She started to move into the forest.

He didn't stop talking, asking questions, and making suggestive comments the entire time they walked. They'd gotten two miles into the hike before Kathleen stopped. He nearly ran into the back of her. "Oh, you think we're far enough away? So you want to start slow or just jump into it?"

Kathleen turned to him. "Would you shut up? You are seriously being annoying."

Kathleen suddenly found her back against a tree as he leaned against her. "Well then I think the time for words are over. Maybe you'd prefer actions."

His lips suddenly descended on hers and to her own surprise she returned the kiss. He deepened it and she let him, surprised at how easy it seemed to be for him. She hoped it was just natural talent. It wasn't until his tongue invaded her mouth that she pushed him away. He only took one step away and stood before her.

Kathleen watched as he stared at her, watching her reaction. She was sure he could see the surprise on her face, but she was sure he didn't know why she was surprised. She'd enjoyed that, more than she should have. Kathleen shook her head, clearing those thoughts. "We shouldn't have done that."

"Why not?" He asked.

"Because…Because I like someone else." Kathleen glared at him. "And you know it; you even know who it is."

He shrugged. "Sure I know about that. I also know that your first crush isn't usually the right one. Also, I know you and I would be better together." Kathleen didn't reply so he continued. "Come on, he's weak while I'm strong. He never gets you and I totally do. Why can't you see it? We could be happy together."

Kathleen pushed him out of the way and moved past him. She stopped after a few steps and turned back to him. "I like Fred, so get over it and move on." She started to head back to base.

He followed her. "Oh, I'm aware, and I'm going to prove to you that I'm better for you. That you and I were meant to be together, that he doesn't deserve you." He moved close enough and whispered in her ear. "I know you understand. You kissed back after all."

"You're an idiot, Will." Kathleen scowled at the male trainee and sped up her pace, trying to get away from him, from what had just happened, and from how it had made her feel.


	70. Download

**100 Challenge**

**Prompt 070: 67%**

**Title: Download  
**

* * *

Kathleen cursed as she checked the status of the download. The number ticked from 66 to 67. Damn, they were only about a third of the way from being able to leave. Something banged against the heavy metal doors and the steel dented under the force.

"All right, I'm changing my guess to those red hunters we saw on Reach. Those things were strong enough to do that kind of damage." Tobias was oddly calm for how dangerous of a situation they were in.

The ODSS were locked into the inner room of soee research facility. Apparently these designs were too important to be destroyed by the Cole Protocol, which was why Kathleen's soldiers were here. They were tasked with retrieving the data without destroying it. Something that seemed like a complete miss use of her teams skills. Until the Covenant had showed up, that was.

Whatever it was that they were retrieving the Covenant wanted it badly. They'd already sent wraiths, hunters, and a team of ultra elites. Patrick had set up the system to transfer the data to a portable data matrix. The problem was it was taking forever.

"I think I agree. It sounds like a hunter to me." Tym turned to James. "We got any rockets left?"

James shook his head. "We used the last ones on the wraiths that were outside."

"How about grenades?" James shook his head again and Tym slumped a bit. "Guess that means we have to beat them the old fashion way."

Edward gripped the knife on his chest armor." That is my favorite way to kill hunters. Who wants to Rock, Paper, Scissors me for one of them."

"No one. You can have both of them if you want them." David watched the door, waiting for the hunters to break in.

Emily pulled her knife out. "I got the bond brother." The two moved to stand before the door, waiting for the metal to give.

"Do you guys ever do anything without each other?" Matthew reloaded his weapon. "I mean, unless the Sergeant orders it you guys are never more than a few feet away from each other. It's kind of gross."

"You're just jealous because you don't have the same thing with James." Emily stretched a bit, using Edward as a solid base for a couple quick leg stretches.

"We are on the same team. We eat, fight, shower, and sleep together. It makes you close." Edward pulled out his own knife, getting ready for the fight. "Not to mention she's my partner. We are supposed to be close."

"Yeah, but there's such thing as overboard." Matthew raised his weapon and aimed it at the gun. "I mean at some point you got to—"

Matthew was cut off as the banging continued, growing louder and more frequent. The metal door bent more and more with each strike. Eventually they gave under the force and bent out of the way of two large red hunters. Emily and Edward moved like a flash, darting toward the large aliens. Kathleen saw something move past her soldiers, heading straight for her. She had just enough time to raise her rifle and use it to force the elite's neck back and keep the snapping jaws from her face. She scowled as she realized that it only had three mandibles.


	71. Advantage

**100 Challenges**

**Prompt 071: obsession**

**Title: Advantage  
**

The two sat in silence in the conference room. The ODSS had just been informed about the Covenant. About the events of Harvest. He'd shown up after the meeting and Kathleen had sent her soldiers to the barracks.

He finally spoke. "So what do you think of this new threat?" He was watching her carefully from across the table for her reaction.

Kathleen contemplated the question. "At this time, with what we've been told, it will not be an easy fight. We will manage it, though. We have to."

He smiled slightly. "For once that obsession of yours might be your secret weapon and end up making you the most successful. Might be what allows you to survive what seems to be coming."

"I don't understand, Gunny. I'm not obsessive over anything." Even Kathleen didn't believe the words as she said them.

"Don't give me that, Sergeant. You know full well and seem to embrace your obsession." Saran shook his head a bit. "We ask you for soldiers as good as Spartans, you demand better. Now this threat arises and I know that you'll push them even harder to be ready for them."

"Would you have me not?" Kathleen narrowed her gaze, questioning him. "From what information we were given they have more advanced weapons. That doesn't even cover their ground troops. We were only informed of their ship's weapons. They could have battle armor that makes them a hundred times stronger."

"Do you really believe that they have such technology?" Saran leaned back, considering the possibility.

Kathleen shrugged. "I have no clue. I wouldn't take the chance that they don't. From their ships it's likely they will have energy weapons for their troops. That's the most educated guess that I can make as to their soldiers. I will prepare my soldiers for that possibility and any others that I can prepare them for."

Saran nodded slightly. "There's the obsession." Kathleen raised an eyebrow, waiting for an explanation. This didn't seem to fit into how she thought of her obsession. "You're already planning new training to ready for not only the known but the unknown. That will leave your soldiers ahead of the normal troops who will have to adapt in the field."

Kathleen frowned. "That is dangerous and will likely coast a lot of soldiers their lives." She didn't like the idea of soldiers dying just because they hadn't been trained properly.

Silence fell once more. Kathleen was in her head, planning out how to prepare her soldiers for the unknown enemy. Saran was watching her carefully. His head tilted a bit to the side. "Do you ever take a moment and relax? Stop thinking about the newest way to train your team?"

Kathleen shook her head. "My job is to train them, to be sure they are ready."

"No, your job _was_to train them. Now it's to lead them against whatever we send you to kill." Saran sat up a bit taller. "You can still train them in new things, but you don't need to train them constantly." He paused a moment before continuing. "You're going to be spending a lot of time on ships in the future."

"Ships still have gyms. There will be, or can be, space in our barracks that we can use." Kathleen frowned as she realized that she was already planning how to train them on a ship.

Saran sighed. "Then you can maintain their training." He stood and moved around the table. He stopped beside Kathleen. "I have a feeling this isn't going to be an easy war. I'm just saying, you and your team should have some time to relax or this war might break you."

Kathleen sat in silence as he left. Maybe he was right; maybe she should leave some time to relax. The Sergeant sat in the empty room, contemplating the idea.


	72. Raid

**100 challenges  
**

**Prompt 072: Mischief managed**

**Title: Raid  
**

Kathleen checked to be sure that the coast was clear. She turned and motioned Will and Sheila forward. The two quickly crossed the open ground and Kathleen followed. She reached the other side and Kelly passed her, moving to the door. Kathleen turned her gaze to the surrounding area, keeping a look out while Kelly picked the lock.

Kathleen wasn't so sure about bringing Kelly with them. She wasn't a part of the team and Kathleen wasn't sure how much she trusted Kelly. For all she knew Kelly helping them was a way to get back at them for having dunked blue team in a river. Though, if Kelly double crossed them Kathleen would be sure to get her back for it.

"Got it." The door clicked and Kelly slowly opened it. She gave a thumbs up and they moved inside.

The kitchen was oddly quiet. All the staff had left after cleaning up after dinner. That was what Kathleen had been hoping for. It would make their objective that much easier to achieve. The question now was, what to grab.

Kathleen motioned Will and Sheila to the pantry and had Kelly follow her. They moved over to a collection of metal containers. Kathleen opened the lid of one, peeking inside. The container held sausages, enough to feed the entire base.

"This looks to be tomorrow's breakfast." Kelly pointed in to the bacon filled container that she had opened.

Kathleen agreed. She smiled slightly and looked to Kelly. "What to get a bit of payback?" She motioned to the food. "Think some vinegar would make things interesting."

Kelly frowned. "Wouldn't we be causing pain to a lot of people on the base that haven't done us wrong?" She seemed to hesitate about that.

"Casualties of war." To Kathleen it was acceptable that some innocent people would probably be unhappy or made sick from what she had planned. "You grab a bit of bacon and sausage, enough to be able to feed the Spartans tomorrow morning." Kelly nodded and Kathleen moved across the room.

Will looked over as she reached them. "Look, got us some cookies and found a stash of chocolate." He held up the items so she could see.

Kathleen smiled. "Keep up the good work and maybe you'll replace Fred as my favorite member of the team." She looked around. "Where's the vinegar?" Will pointed and she moved over, grabbing several bottles. "You two be sure you grab some bread. Kelly's getting us some meats."

Will nodded and Kathleen left the pantry. She moved back to the containers and then held out a bottle for Kelly. "Put this all over the bacon."

Kelly hesitated. "I'm still not sure about this. It's like bombing an entire city because there are a few rebels there." She reached out for the bottle.

Kathleen pulled the bottle away before she could take it. "Fine, you want to chicken out on me just because a few innocents might get sick then go ahead. Did you take out the bacon and sausage for us and for the morning?" Kelly nodded and showed her the bags of sausage and bacon that she had gotten. "All right, then go help Will and Sheila." Kelly moved off.

Kathleen turned back to her task. Kelly's lack of conviction toward getting back at the instructors and soldier who had tortured them during their training made her again second guess her decision to bring her. She moved to both of the containers, coating the sausage and bacon before mixing them up to be sure that the large amount of vinegar got everywhere.

When she finished she joined the others and they made their way out of the kitchen and across the base. Will opened the door to the barracks and the four made their way through the room. Fred and Joshua were sitting in the corner with Blue team.

They looked up as Sheila and will put down their sacks. "What is this?" John looked around at them, waiting for an answer.

"What's rightfully ours." Kathleen took a seat and started to unpack the food. She set aside the bacon and sausage. "Don't eat the breakfast meats they serve tomorrow." She grabbed some of the bred and started to eat.

The others only hesitated for a moment before they all started to dig into the food. None of them asked where the food had come from, and the next day they spread the word not to eat the meat.


	73. Never Say

**100 Challenges**

**Prompt 073: I can't**

**Title: Never Say**

Fred took a step back, a bit afraid of the glaring woman before him. "What did you just say?" Her voice was cold and serious. He tried to back down but the movement only seemed to anger her more.

"I said that I can't do it." She took a step toward him and Fred fought the desire to move away from her. He was starting to fear she was going to cause bodily harm.

There was silence for a moment. "I never want to hear those words from you ever again." The look in her eyes said she meant it. "If I hear that from you again I'm going to hit you."

Fred groaned. "Do you have to hit me for everything that you don't like?" He was already under the threat of being hit for about three other things. "Do you really have to be so violent? Can't you try being gentle, Kathleen?"

Kathleen scowled at him. "That's not my style. Besides, this isn't about if I like it or not. To say that you can't do something is admitting defeat. The only way that those words could be accepted would be if you were saying that you can't accept defeat."

"Why is this so important to you? Wouldn't me admitting defeat allow you a chance to take command? You like doing that." Fred's words were agitated. It was obvious that he was starting to get annoyed.

Kathleen rolled her eyes. "Is that why you're being all crabby and fighting back?" Fred had been arguing back to Kathleen, something he usually never did, since the recent training exercise. She'd talked the rest of the team into following her orders instead of Fred's. She'd just wanted to get an idea of what it was like to lead, if she could do it. "Listen, I don't want to lead the team. I'm not even allowed to, Chief's orders. It was a onetime thing, so get over it."

"Not like you don't go against the Chief's orders." Fred rolled his eyes. "I don't see why I should believe you."

She looked him straight in the eye. "Fred, I may hit and insult you at times, but I do not, and will not, lie to you." She placed her hand on her heart. "I swear on my honor, on the honor of my family, that I do not want your position as team leader."

Fred paused, trying to decide if he believed her. "All right, you're not trying to become team leader. I still don't' see why you care so much if I give up."

"Fred, we're soldiers. Giving up isn't an option. You can never admit defeat, if we do than in the field we'd die. Not to mention you're the team leader. That means that the team looks to you. If you admit defeat, then what hope does the team have that they can succeed? You never see John giving up. That's because he is a proper leader."

Fred groaned. "Why do you always bring him up? I'm not the same as him. We don't even look the same."

"You two are a lot more alike than you think. He's just more determined and better at being a leader than you are." She smirked. "Other than that and looks, you two are the same."

"Yeah, well I can't help how I am. Ow!" Fred gripped his arm where she'd hit him. "Seems there is one thing I can't do I can't convince you to stop hitting me."

She paused for a moment and then shrugged. "I can accept that. Though if you stopped doing the things I hit you for I wouldn't have to hit you." Her fist hit him. "Now it is no longer accepted."

"I can't win with you, can I? OW! Would you hit a different spot?" Fred rubbed his shoulder. "You could just stop doing it all together."

"No," Kathleen shot back. Fred groaned again, knowing there was no way to win.


	74. The duel

**100 Challenge**

**Prompt 074: Are you Challenging me?**

**Title: Duel**

Kathleen stared down at the object in her hand. The elite had tossed it to her but she didn't understand why. The lower ranked elites stepped back so that the golden armored elite was on his own. "Is it challenging me?"

The elite hit a button on the identical object in his own hand and the energy sword flared to life. "I'd say that's a yes in ugly-ass alien." The ODSS took a step back so that Kathleen stood alone.

The Sergeant looked over the weapon in her hand and finally found a button. When she hit it the energy blade flared to life. She turned to the elite and shifted into a fighting stance.

The elite charged forward. The energy sword was unfamiliar in Kathleen's hand and she wasn't sure how to properly use it. She moved on instinct, raising the weapon and deflected the golden enemy's blade away. The alien was obviously skilled with the weapons, though not a master. Still, he had more skill than Kathleen.

She was able to deflect away his strikes but he blocked every hit she tried to make. What was worse was Kathleen couldn't seem to get the elite on the defensive. Each time she blocked her enemy easily recovered and was ready to strike again.

The two swords connected, bright blue sparks shooting from where they touched. There was an opening for Kathleen. She moved toward the elite, shifting as she did. She forced the elite's sword to the side and brought her fist up. It connected with the side of the elites neck, causing her foe to take a step back. The gold armored elite let out a roar of anger at his moment of weakness.

Kathleen used the elite's mistake to turn the tide of the fight. She switched to offense and started to strike at whatever opening she could find. The sword was still uncomfortable in her hands but she'd gotten used to it enough that she was using it with more ease.

She was finally getting the elite to back up but something felt wrong. A warrior this good with a blade shouldn't have been retreating from a novice like Kathleen. The little voice in the back of her mind told her it was a trap. Having always trusted that little voice Kathleen backed off of her assault.

The elite growled and Kathleen prepared for it to attack. They both stood, waiting for the other to strike first. The alien must have gotten annoyed and charged forward. He swung his sword and Kathleen moved to block. The strike knocked Kathleen's blade away. The elite moved fluidly, bringing his blade toward Kathleen's face. She moved to the side but the sword still cut through part of the left side of her neck.

Kathleen moved away from the elite, left hand pressed tightly to the side of her neck. The elite charged again and Kathleen moved out of his way. With now much force the elite was using she wouldn't be able to block him anymore. She'd need to use a different approach. Though with his new strategy it left more openings.

The next time the elite charged she ran forward as well, moving a bit to the side. The alien's blade just barely missed her but now she was behind him, exactly where he wanted to be. She spun and stabbed forward. The two blades of the energy sword stuck out of the gold chest place of the elite.

Kathleen pulled the blade free and the body fell to the ground. Kathleen stood over the body, triumphant. The remaining elites roared and charged forward.


	75. Reflection

**100 Challenge**

**Prompt 075: Mirror**

**Title: Reflection**

Kathleen tossed the mirror to the side, letting it land on her pillow. Why couldn't she have the angular beauty of Kelly, or the cold mystique of Linda? Instead she looked like a boy. She'd had her head shaved like all the boys when they had first arrived at the base. Since then she hadn't let it grow that long. There was dirt on her face and she still had a slight cut on her chin from a fight a couple days ago.

Kathleen leaned forward, resting her forearms on her knees. She didn't understand why she even cared. So what if Fred had been watching Kelly run that day? Kelly was a beautiful woman, what guy wouldn't want to watch her? She moved elegantly, had the body of a runner, and she was developing.

Kathleen crossed her arms over her chest. She was nothing like Kelly. Kathleen was tomboyish, she was usually dirty, muscular more like the guys, none of the sleek muscles that the other girls seemed to have, and was barely developing.

"What's wrong with you?" Kathleen looked up and found the man she was mad at, for some reason that she didn't understand. Fred was walking toward her, completely unaware of her anger toward him. "You were quiet at lunch and you're not out doing your afternoon workout."

"I didn't feel like it." Kathleen didn't need to justify her action to him. She didn't see why what she did was really his business anyway.

"Oh, so it's _that_ time of the month." The comment earned Fred a slap from Kathleen. "What was that about?"

"First, don't you ever talk about that to me again. Second, no, I just didn't feel like it." Kathleen looked away from him.

"I don't see why talking about it is such a big deal? I mean biology says that it's natural." Fred flinched as she hit him again.

"Asking that counts as talking about it to me. I just told you not to." Kathleen turned to him. "Also, it's a very personal bodily function and the only person who needs to know that it is happening is the woman who is affected. You need to keep your damn nose out of it."

"I don't think that I want to put my nose in it." Fred chuckled, not minding that she hit him again. "Fine, I'll stop talking about it." Fred turned toward the main doorway to the barracks as it opened. Kelly walked in and Fred watched her move to her cot. His eyes were fully focused on her as she moved to her footlocker and retrieved something. He seemed to have completely forgotten that Kathleen was there or that they had even been talking.

Kathleen decided that she didn't need to be here to watch Fred ogle another woman. She stood up and moved out of the barracks. She heard Fred call after her but she didn't hear anyone following her so he must not have really cared.

Kathleen moved out into the open air of the base, moving toward the training grounds. She went to the track and she started to run, just trying to relieve her anger.

"Kathleen, tell me why you're mad." Kathleen didn't bother looking over at Fred. "I don't know what I did."

Kathleen just continued to run, blocking him out. She was slightly aware that that someone else was running beside her but she was faster and he was struggling to keep up. Kathleen stared to run all out but she didn't get very far before arms wrapped around her waist and she was pulled to the ground.

Kathleen turned on the other person and let out an annoyed growl. "What is your problem?"

"What is yours?" Fred sat up, frowning at her. "Why won't you just tell me what I did that made you mad?"

Kathleen tackled Fred to the ground, pinning him to the ground. "Leave me alone!" She glared at him. "Why don't you go back to leering at Kelly and just let me be?" She stood up and took off running away from him. She couldn't believe that she'd just admitted him looking at Kelly had bothered her at all. He was either too stunned or smart enough to not follow her. Kathleen guessed it was the former. She didn't stop until she reached the forest, just sitting down under a tree.

Kathleen didn't return to the barracks until everyone else was at dinner. She was too embarrassed to face Fred, and she wouldn't have been able to get away from in the mess hall. She lay under the sheets of her bed.

Half way through dinner Kathleen heard the door open. She didn't look up, didn't acknowledge that anyone was even there. A weight settled on the bed next to her and moved under the covers with her. She felt lips brush her ear. "I'm sorry." She closed her eyes, trying to block out his apology.

His hand moved and as Kathleen felt it move to a particular place Kathleen sat up, glaring down at him. "What the hell? Were you just feeling me up?"

Fred froze, looking up at her. "Um…I'm not sure what answer will not get me hit." Kathleen frowned at him.

She decided to let it go, laying back down on the cot. It was odd but in some way that one little action had made her feel better. Sure, she sort of wanted to hit him for feeling her up, but at least he was interested. So what if he looked at Kelly, Kathleen knew better than to think that he would touch Kelly. She settled in, letting her eyes close and enjoy the attention. Even if she didn't find herself attractive, at least Fred seemed to.


	76. Rebuild

**100 Challenge**

**Prompt 076: broken pieces**

**Title: Rebuild**

Kathleen kept her pace steady as she followed behind the soldiers. She found herself so out of place once again. These soldiers were not only older than her, but they were shorter, not at all the same sort of build as her. She hadn't exactly felt like she fit in with the Spartans, but she wasn't really sure what her place was here with her new team.

Kathleen felt like her life, all that she knew, had been broken to pieces and now she was just trying to put it back together. She'd easily managed to renew and put back together her faith in the UNSC, in her duty to Earth's colonies and people. That had been the easy part, and from there she was moving on to the harder parts.

She was trying to figure out who she was. She was no longer Red Two, she wasn't even sure what her title was. They called her squad leader, and she was in charge of training these marines. It was something so new to her. She'd never before trained anyone in anything. She had led once while in Spartan training, but after that she was banned from leading as she'd been too destructive.

That led her to something else she wasn't sure about. What was this new group supposed to be like? She was told that she needed them to be as good as Spartans, but what did she really know of how the Spartans were. She knew how she was, she could train them to be like her, but that didn't seem to fit what they wanted. She supposed it didn't matter. She'd make them whatever she wanted to, as long as they were as strong and trained as Spartans.

She wasn't sure how she stood even in relation to these soldiers she was to call her own. They seemed to be obedient, or maybe ODST boot had just taught them to do as they were ordered. At the same time she felt more at ease with them than she had with any Spartan other than Red Team. She couldn't be close to them, though, as she was their leader. She still needed to find that perfect distance that would make her one of them, yet still that person who's orders were law and had to be followed even if it meant giving up your life.

That was something else that seemed to sit differently with Kathleen now. The idea of these new soldiers, her team, giving up their lives. She hesitated at the thought, as though she felt that it was becoming less and less of an option to her. They were soldiers, and if their lives needed to be spent, then she had no place to not complete her mission to save them. She kept coming back to the idea of not having to waste lives and yet still being just as good as any soldier, maybe even better.

Kathleen let the idea sink in for a few minutes. She liked it. She could make them better than any other soldier, then maybe she'd never have to make the choice between mission and saving lives. But to do that, she'd need to make them much better than Spartans. That was a challenge that Kathleen would have to accept, because she wasn't losing any more teammates.


	77. Endurance

**Prompt 077: Test**

**Title: Endurance**

Kathleen stood on the box, staring straight ahead. She held her arms out to the side, weights held tightly in her hands. She felt some strain from it but she'd worked hard to learn to ignore the pain that came from it. They'd already been there for at least two hours, though honestly Kathleen hadn't been paying attention to the time. She was focused more on the soldiers around her. Her team stood around her, in the same position.

They had been chatting the entire time, like they were just sitting around in a lounge. Maybe they didn't realize what was going on? Maybe they did and realized that being quiet wasn't going to help them succeed. Or maybe they knew what it was and hadn't given any thought to being quiet. With how they tended to be most of the time, it seemed likely.

"I think that she is just messing with you. You know that she's navy, and not to mention that she just broke up with that jerk in the armory. He looks nothing like you, which means that she's using you to make him jealous." Max frowned at Matthew. "How can you not be smart enough to realize that?"

"As long as I get some action out of it, what do I care?" Matthew didn't move, just stared forward. "Not like I'm Edward and my partner has a hole I'm willing to stick it in."

"See now that is just mean to say to James." Luke turned to look to James. "I'm sure that he doesn't mean it. I'm sure he finds your holes very worthy of sticking things into. He just doesn't want to admit he wants to stick things into them."

"Would you shut up? I'm not like you, fruitcake. I only like girls." Matthew glared at Luke. "I'm looking for a person of the opposite gender to sleep with. You know, the ones with the things that are fun to play with on their chest."

"You do realize that when this is all over, I'm going to kill you. I don't forget when you do this sort of thing. When we're done, I'll also have weights to throw at your head." Emily glared at Matthew.

Matthew turned to Edward. "Can you molest her as soon as she gets off of her box? You know, skip to second base or something?"

Edward gave Matthew a blank stare. "First, why would I assist you in not getting hurt? Second, I do not molest her in public. That is improper, and usually kills the mood."

"Third, it's not molestation." Emily turned back forward. "Ma'am, permission to beam Matthew in the head with one of my weights?"

Kathleen frowned. "Denied. You have to hold them the entire time." Kathleen was sure that they didn't understand what they were doing.

"Why are we doing this, Ma'am? I don't really see a point to standing on boxes for hours on end." David frowned. "Couldn't we be exercising or something?"

Kathleen scowled. "It's a stamina exercise. Now shut it and just stand still." This is what she gets for trying to test if their stamina was up to her standards. The only thing she seemed to be testing was their ability to find things to talk about. Maybe she could find a way to use that in the future. Kathleen tuned out her soldiers as they returned to threatening each other and making jokes.


	78. Undercover

**100 Challenge**

**Prompt 078: Drink**

**Title: Undercover **

Kathleen stared down at the brown liquid in her cup. She didn't understand why civilians liked this stuff so much. It looked like dirty water, tasted awful, and impaired ones judgment. She'd gladly take a canteen of clean water over this stuff.

"Not a big drinker?" Kathleen looked up to the voice, their target. The man across from her looked like he had more money than he knew what to do with. Maybe that was why he was funding rebels. His hair was slicked back, every bit of clothing was designer from his shoes to his watch. The top two buttons of his shirt were undone and he'd been hitting on girls all night.

"I was just thinking." Kathleen was getting pretty good at lying on the fly. It was a skill that was becoming increasingly useful. "My father used to drink stuff like this. Left me a cabinet full of aged liquor when he died."

The target smirked. "Daddy issues, eh?" He seemed more amused by it. "What happened to him, if you don't mind me asking?"

Kathleen looked at her cup. "He was a member of ONI. Killed himself a few years ago. Apparently he'd done some things he was unable to live with in his time with them." Her voice was cold, trying to give the appearance of a woman that had been estranged with her father but still had resentment over his death.

"See that's the sort of thing that the UNSC completely ignores. The effects that their actions have on the families." Good, they'd gotten the target on the right subject.

"I'm glad that you see it our way." Kathleen leaned forward on the table. "Now you see the position we are in. We're tired of the UNSC and ONI just tearing families apart. We know that you know the local rebels. They've had some success and we're having trouble getting our operation off of the ground."

"Well it is a hard thing to get started in." The target raised an eyebrow. "So you want tips? I suppose that I can give you some of their info, a way to contact them. I'm sure they could teach you a thing or two about the business." The target looked around before pulling out a pen and quickly writing something down on a napkin. He slid it across the table and Kathleen picked it up, folding it before she slid it between her breasts.

Edward sat down at the table beside Kathleen and grinned. He looked like a very satisfied man. The blond haired soldier looked over toward the bar where a red haired woman in a tight red top and black miniskirt waved at him. Edward waved back and then grinned across the table at the target.

"How was she?" The target leaned forward glancing over toward the woman.

Edward licked his lips as his own gaze traveled over to the woman. "She's the best you'll ever have."

Kathleen glanced over toward the woman. She had to admit that Max had done a brilliant job coloring Emily's hair. She glanced over at Edward and wondered if he was just putting on the act or if he'd really gone into the bathroom and had a bit of fun with Emily.

"How do I get a…meeting with her?" The target was eyeing Emily like a hungry wolf.

Edward motioned toward her and Emily sauntered over to him. "Hey baby, what you need?" She leaned forward and Edward whispered into her ear. With her enhanced hearing Kathleen could hear them perfectly. She'd have to remind them to keep that kind of talk off of the field.

Emily moved over to the target and motioned for him to follow. The target grinned as he followed Emily back toward the bathrooms. Kathleen sat back, looking over at Edward. The smile had partially fallen from his face and Kathleen knew that this was the part of the plan he didn't like.

It was five minutes before Emily came back out of the bathroom. She looked like she was a bit of a mess but Kathleen wasn't worried as there wasn't a scratch on her. She moved through the bar and out the door without being noticed.

"All right, lets ninja." Kathleen tossed down money and her team filed out of the bar without being noticed.

Later that night their target would be found, dead, in the bathroom stall, having been poisoned, no one the wiser as to who had killed him. At the same time the ODSS now had a good tip toward how to find the local rebels.


	79. Food

**100 Challenges**

**Prompt 079: Starvation**

**Title: Food**

Kathleen scowled as her stomach growled. She didn't need it to remind her how hungry she was. The sound seemed all the more taunting in the quiet of the gym. Kathleen shut her eyes and tried to clear her mind once more. She was trying to practice the zen techniques that Kelly had taught her to keep her reflexes sharp.

The scent of meat and cooked vegetables filled her nose and she heard the sound of someone setting a tray down in front of her. Kathleen opened her eyes and found herself facing Will. She glanced down at the tray of food and then back to him. "What do you want for it?" She'd been ordered no food so she was sure that Will would want something in return for him breaking orders.

"Can I get a kiss?" Kathleen glared at him. He knew better than to ask her for that. "Then I don't need anything." He sat down beside her, seeming to be content.

Kathleen picked up the tray and started to eat. She hadn't realized how starving she was until she started to eat. It was only minutes until the tray was clean. "It's not like you to do things for me out of the good of your heart. Why'd you do it?"

"Cause I love you." Kathleen gave him a look that said she didn't believe him. "Fine, Fred told me to bring it to you."

Kathleen snorted. "I believe that even less. Fred is Fred. He wouldn't go against orders like that. Try again."

"No, really, Fred told me to. He distracted Mendez while I snuck the tray out." Will could obviously tell she still didn't believe him. "I know, it surprised me too. But you know him. He couldn't stand the thought of you going hungry."

Kathleen thought about it. It would be like Fred to blame himself for what she'd done and the resulting punishment. She had been pushing Fred to be more confident and willing to break rules. Maybe he was finally doing what she told him.

"There you are, Will." Fred walked into the gym. "You left dinner early and I was wondering where you went."

Kathleen stood up and moved over to Fred. He looked at her confused but she ignored him, grabbing his shirt and pulling him toward her. She brought their lips together and it took Fred a second to return the kiss. His hands hesitantly pulled her closer while she deepened the kiss.

When she finally pulled Fred stood, not sure what to say. "What was that for?" He looked at her, not having any clue as to why she'd just kissed him.

"It's for the food." Fred still looked at her confused. Kathleen looked back at Will. "You lied to me?" Then that didn't explain where the food had come from.

"Hey, you wouldn't accept the truth." Will grinned and chuckled. "Though if accepting credit gets me a kiss like that I'll admit it again."

Kathleen moved away from Fred and leaned down toward Will. She placed a light kiss on his cheek but stayed close. "Thank you," She whispered. She kept her voice quiet and spoke to him more threateningly. "I don't know why you were trying to give Fred credit, but if I find out it was for a bad reason, I'll kick your butt."

Will's hand moved up to her neck, holding her in place. She felt a spike of fear as the touch sent a shiver down her spine. He held her close enough she could feel his breath on her face. "I told you the truth and you didn't listen. I love you and wanted to do something for you. That's the truth."

Kathleen tried to pull herself away, wanting to get away from the way that Will was making her feel at the moment. It wasn't bad, but it was too close to how Fred made her feel when she let him close to her. Something felt wrong about feeling that way for another man.

A hand grabbed Will's wrist and they both looked over to see an angry Fred. "Let her go." Will released his hold on her and Kathleen stood up. Fred glanced toward her, being sure she was all right before he looked back to Will. "Don't ever do that again. If she doesn't want to be near you, don't force her to."

Kathleen had to admit that at the moment Fred was more attractive to her than usual. She liked him standing up for her, even if she really didn't need him to. She pulled him against her and Fred looked at her, surprised. She smirked and him and leaned in to whisper in his ear. "I like you with authority." Fred jumped a bit and she turned, moving out of the room.

As she left the room she could hear Will. "Did she just grab your rear?" If Fred replied it was either too quiet for her to hear him or it was silent. She smirked, glad to at least have a full stomach.


	80. Goodbye

**100 challenge**

**Prompt 080: Words**

**Title: Goodbye**

Kathleen stared down at the still water. She listened intently to the world around her, waiting for an attack. She'd set her soldiers out to find flags she'd hidden throughout the forest. She'd hidden them all in obscure places where no normal person would look. It was all to teach them to never expect things to be easy or what they'd expect. A few of the flags she knew they'd never find. Never hurt to put in a lesson about how not every mission was something that could be completed. Sometimes Command would ask the world of them and she wanted to get it in their heads that missions given by officers on a ship weren't always physically possible.

She'd ordered them that once they had all the flags they were to come and attack her. She knew that the likely hood of them showing up was basically zero but she couldn't let her guard down. It was not only worry of attack that was on her mind. It had only been a little over a week since she'd been given her new team. She didn't want them to see her right now.

She could remember all the times she'd been to this lake during her training with the Spartans. She remembered midnight trips to it with Fred or Will. She remembered the trip on her fourteenth birthday to the lake. That trip was why she was here.

Kathleen gripped the small flag a bit tighter before she moved, jumping into the water. She let herself sink down a bit before turning and swimming toward her target. She surfaced in the hidden cave, taking in a breath of air and looking around. It was hard to believe it had only been a few months since the last time she'd been here.

Kathleen moved over to the bit of dry land that there was in the cave. As the cave could only be reached by water and the dry area was mostly covered with plants she had to remain chest deep in the water. She would pull herself up onto the plants but crushing innocent plants seemed cruel as they couldn't fight back. Not to mention it was made all the worst by the glowing flowers that seemed to stare up at her, reminding her of him.

Kathleen tossed the last flag which she'd been carrying on her onto the dry area. It fell between the flowers, lit only by the light of the petals. She was just about to go back to the shore when she stopped. She hesitated, feeling like she should say something. There had been no time, no funeral, so she'd never really gotten to say goodbye. The problem was she'd never really been very good with words. She vaguely remembered staring at a stone with writing on it, trying to think of something to say. The memory was only there for a second and then it was gone and vanished from her mind like smoke being blown away by the wind.

Kathleen pulled the blade from her belt and lifted herself a bit up onto the dry area, being careful. She carved into the rock walls as best she could. When she finished she slipped the knife back into her belt Kathleen admired her handy work. She'd carved the sword star into the wall with the number 217 under it.

With the mark left she once more slipped under the water and returned to the shore. Kathleen pulled herself onto the shore and lay down on the grass. She looked toward the sky and then to the ground beside her. A frown crossed her face as she could visualize the young man lying beside her.

Kathleen closed her eyes, taking a deep breath and letting it out slowly. "Goodbye."


	81. Journal

**100 Challenge**

**081 Pen and Paper**

**Title: Journal**

Kathleen didn't trust leaving her inner thoughts on a computer. She didn't trust ONI not to invade her privacy. This was why she was using the arcane method of pen and paper to write down her thoughts. Barbaric, but then again compared to most soldiers the ODSS tended to be a bit more barbaric.

There was nothing really special about the journal. It had no markings, just an old worn brown cover. Inside were dulled and a few slightly torn pages. She'd written down basic information about missions but mainly she used it to write down the areas that her soldiers needed to improve. Just flipping through it she could see what Gunny had meant when he'd said she was never satisfied. She could tell when one of her soldier had reared or passed a level as the statistic she wanted them to improve as the level she wanted them to aim for would rise.

She closed the journal and stashed it in her footlocker as she always did. It wasn't the best hiding place but that was the point. She knew her soldiers, and she knew they knew she had a journal. She had no doubt that when she was away they stole her journal to read it. It was why she was often overly harsh in the entries. Disappointing, failure, lacking. All of them were overkill but telling them they weren't good enough motivated them. Positive reinforcement didn't work on them, insults did.

Kathleen grabbed a book from the bottom of the footlocker. It was an old and tattered novel with a trio of soldiers in old bodyarmor on the cover backed by a setting sun. She moved out of the barracks, knowing that when she left the journal in her footlocker would be stolen. She didn't care, in fact she was counting on it.

Kathleen found a quiet place and settled in. She opened the book, flipping through page after page of entries. She wondered if any of her soldiers had ever questioned the obvious hiding place of her journal. Had any of them ever actually opened her book to see if it was really a real book? If they'd ever bothered they would have found her real journal. She doubted they ever even touched it out of fear of losing her place and suffering her wrath.

It was an elaborate ruse, but it was worth it. There were few things that she could do to still get the better of her soldiers, and knowing that they still couldn't find her actual journal made her happy. She would move the bookmark in it each time she would make an entry. By her count it would seem like she'd read it over twenty-five times. She had chosen to make it look like a classic book written about a team called seal team six. It was supposed to be partially written based on facts, but it was fictional of their training and the members of the team. Kathleen had actually read the book, and she read it many times, enjoying it greatly.

Kathleen flipped through the entries, scanning them. It was sad. If only her soldier would realize they would find that unlike her other journal, this one was truly her thoughts and feelings. The pages contained accounts of dreams featuring her team and the fallen Spartans. There were mentions of her struggle to forget the Spartans, or notes of when she saw them in news articles and who was in the pictures. Rather than the insults of the fake journal this one contained what was the closest thing to praise as Kathleen could manage. She admitted when her soldiers reached her expectations or when they did better than she thought.

Kathleen opened to a clean page and pulled out a pen before she started to write, smiling as she thought about how her soldiers were likely reading her fake journal right now.


	82. Friend

**100 Challenge**

**Prompt 082: Can you hear me?**

**Title: Friends**

Kathleen coughed the dirt out of her lungs. She was going to blame this all on John. After all they'd only come this way because of his stupid plan. If he hadn't been so paranoid about Kurt's team ambushing them then she wouldn't be in this hole. Come to think of it this might just be one of their traps.

"Kathleen, can you hear me?" Fred called down. Kathleen was just about to call up to him to warn him of the possible danger when something, or probably someone pushed him into the hole. Kathleen cursed as she realized there wasn't enough room to get out of the way and Fred ended up landing on her.

Kathleen tried to sit up, ignoring the pain in her back and head but found that Fred was lying across her, keeping her from moving. "Get off me." She pushed him back and off of her. Kathleen moved to her feet and looked up toward the opening of the hole. She frowned as she spotted Kurt looking down at them. "When I get out of here you're a dead man."

"If you get out of there." Kurt grinned and then moved away, probably off to find the rest of blue team to take them out.

Kathleen looked around the hole, trying to find anything that she could grip onto. From the looks of it this was natural and they'd just taken advantage, or it was here for a different exercise because the trainees certainly hadn't dug it themselves.

Fred sat down in the dirt and grabbed her arm. "Would you calm down? Being angry isn't going to help us think of a way out of this."

"Yeah it is. I always think the best and fight the best when I'm angry." Kathleen was still looking for a path up. She saw a few ways she could climb but it would only get her part of the way up before she'd run out of things to grab onto.

"No one thinks better when they're angry. Maybe fight but not think." Fred once more tugged on her arm. "Sit down."

"Since when do I take orders from you?" Kathleen glared down at him, annoyed that he wasn't doing anything to find a way out. Sitting around wasn't going to help.

Fred sighed and Kathleen turned away from him. It was a bad idea as a moment later his arms grabbed her around the waist and pulled her down. He'd pulled her down onto his lap and she was trying to get free but his arms were linked around her waist and she didn't have anything to grab in order to pull herself up. "I said sit down."

Kathleen's elbow shot back as she fought to get away from him and it hit him in the side of the head. He released her and she tried to get away. He recovered from the blow and moved toward her, grabbing her once more but this time putting himself on top of her to pin her down. "Damn it, Fred. Get off of me."

"Since when do I take orders from you?" Fred shot back. Kathleen hated when he used what she said against her. She tried to force him off of her but he was holding on tight, arms around her waist and not letting go. "I just want you to calm down."

Kathleen stopped fighting him. Fine, she could play that game, though it would likely earn him a black eye soon enough. "Fine, I'm calm."

Fred looked up at her and frowned. "You are not calm, now calm down." Kathleen only glared at him and he grinned. "There you go, that's calm." She rolled her eyes. He was really only starting to turn her anger from Kurt to him, though she still was mad at Kurt for sticking her down here with Fred. This was all Kurt and John's faults. Damn them.

Kathleen flinched as Fred touched her eyebrow. "Stop that." She grabbed his hand and pulled it away. A frown crossed her face as she spotted the red on his fingers.

"You must have scratched your head when you fell." Fred moved so that his arms were wrapped around her so that he could be more comfortable on her. "All right, now we need to think of a way out of this."

"What do you think I was doing when you attacked me? I told you, I think best when I'm angry." Anger was what drove her and she wanted to get back at Kurt so she was all the more motivated.

"I told you, no one thinks better when they're angry. Just like no one thinks better when they're tired or hungry and you know it." Fred looked up at her, and then toward the top of the hole. "Have any ideas?"

"Yeah, I kill you and use your bones to make handholds by sticking them into the dirt." Fred frowned at her but Kathleen only glared at him. "Would you let go of me?"

"You just made a death threat against me. I think that right here is my safest place." He held her a bit tighter and set his head on her chest. "Now how about some real ideas."

"That was a real idea. I think that your bones would make lovely handholds." Fred didn't acknowledge her words so she sighed. "Fine, how about we walk up it?"

"Now you're just mocking me." Fred glared at her and she grabbed his arms, digging her nails in. He released her in pain and cursed. "What did you do that for?"

Kathleen spun him around and then turned her back to him. She then linked her arms with his and put a foot on the wall. "Foot up, idiot." Fred did as he was told and she knocked her head back against his. "Now walk."

They struggled with the task but after a bit they managed to start walking up the hole, sort of. The dirt wasn't stable and they slid a bit at times but they were ascending. "Do you always have to insult me?" Fred asked.

"You're seriously choosing now to ask that?" Kathleen shifted her foot to use a rock for more traction for the next step.

"Well you're more truthful with me when no one is around, and no one is. I figure now is a perfect time to ask." Fred's food slipped but he managed to stop himself from falling. "Damn roots."

"You do realize that I only call you idiot when you annoy me, right?" Kathleen huffed. "Why else would I call you names?"

"You call me names even when you aren't annoyed at me. I just wish you wouldn't do it so much. I mean, we're friends aren't we?"

"Of course we're friends, what else would we be." Kathleen let out a sigh. "Fine, I'll try to stop calling you idiot so you'll stop complaining, weakling."

"See now you're just doing it to annoy me. I swear, sometimes I hate you, Kathleen." Fred looked toward the hole, wondering how they were going to get up once they reached it. They might have to rely on their reflexes to grab the edge and hope they get lucky.

Fred stopped as he realized that Kathleen had stopped. "If you hate me then why are we friends?" Kathleen's voice was enough for Fred to know she was angry. Fred stared at the dirt ahead of him, watching as a bit of it fell onto his boots and then down into the hole. "Well?"

"Can we not be holding ourselves up in a hole when we talk about this?" Kathleen didn't move so he sighed. "Listen, you are hard to get along with sometimes, but only sometimes." Kathleen didn't believe him but she kept listening. So far she hadn't really heard an explanation that was acceptable. Fred groaned. "I don't hate you, all right. I didn't mean it. I just meant that you're frustrating. You call me names, you hit me for things, and you are just all around insulting. Sometimes it gets on my nerves."

"That still doesn't explain why we're friends," Kathleen pointed out. It explained why he didn't like her or got angry with her, but not why they were friends.

Fred hesitated before he replied. "I don't know why. I have no logical reason for why we're friends." He hated to admit it but he just couldn't figure it out.

"Then maybe we shouldn't be friends." Kathleen lowered her head a bit. He couldn't even think of one reason why they were friends and neither could she. Then why did her own words make her so unhappy.

"No, I don't want that." Fred almost tried to turn around but stopped himself. He didn't want to fall to the bottom again. "I don't want to stop being your friend. I don't care about logic, I don't think it applies. Please don't stop being my friend."

Kathleen sighed. "Would you suck it up, Fred? You are supposed to be the one with the balls here after all." She rolled her eyes and started to walk again. Fred moved with her and after a bit longer they reached the top. Kathleen stopped at the top and spotted someone standing there confused about what they were doing. "Will, help pull us out. I want to go kick Kurt's back side to the other side of the planet."

Will grinned and moved forward, grabbing Kathleen's shirt and pulling her toward him. He pulled fast enough that both Fred and Kathleen were moved out of the way of falling into the hole. Fred fell to the ground but Will grabbed Kathleen to keep her up. "Sorry, Fred."

Fred got to his feet and brushed himself off. Kathleen moved away from Will but was hugged by Fred a second later. "I don't care why we're friends but you're my best friend."

Kathleen sighed and hugged him back. "You diffidently lack logic, Fred." She released him and pushed him to arm's length. "That's enough estrogen for one day. Now back to revenge." She turned and walked off to try to find Kurt. A grinning Will and content Fred following her to back her up.


	83. Promise

**100 Challenge**

**Prompt 083: Heal**

**Title: Promise**

Kathleen glared at the young man that was sitting on top of her. He was only a few weeks short of thirteen so she wasn't sure if man was the proper term. He had the body of an eighteen year old athlete, as all the Spartan trainees had. There had even been a long discussion with some of them where they wondered about it. People always mistook them for five years older than they were.

"Get off of me, Fred." Kathleen tried to push him off but stopped as pain shot through her arm. "Damn, get off of me!"

Fred frowned down at her. "Not until you promise me that you'll relax and let the wound heal. The medics told you to give it a couple days without straining it." Fred was dead serious, and he wanted her to be sure that she knew that.

Kathleen scowled up at him. "I am not missing out on any of my scheduled training." Kathleen stopped fighting him since her shoulder started to hurt. It had been injured in the last exercise and had been bad enough that it had been stitched.

"I told you I'm not letting go until you promise." Fred settled his head on her chest and she raised an eyebrow as his eyes closed. He looked completely and utterly content just lying there.

Kathleen tried to figure out what he was doing. It was odd behavior for Fred, and Kathleen had no idea why he was doing it. He just sat there, arms wrapped around her waist, cheek on her chest, eyes closed and a look of pure content on his face. Kathleen decided that she could use this to her advantage.

Kathleen's hand moved up to Fred's head running over his hair lightly. He held onto her a bit tighter and snuggled closer to her, a soft smile spreading over his face. When she was sure he was completely and totally happy Kathleen smacked the top of his head. He flinched and his grip loosened in surprise. Before he could collect himself and grip her tighter again Kathleen forced him to the side, causing them to switch positions so that Kathleen was the one on top of him.

Fred sat under her, his arms still wrapped around her but his grip wasn't as strong with him on the bottom. Kathleen's hand settled on his neck but he didn't seem worried. He didn't really have reason. She wasn't putting any force on it, just using it to warn him not to fight back. "I told you, I'm not missing out on any workout."

Fred stared up at her. He seemed to be trying to decide what course of action to take. "Can you at least promise me not to put weight on your arm? No sparring, no weight lifting, only leg exercises." He moved his arms a bit on her waist, not to hold her better but just for his own comfort.

Kathleen rolled her eyes. "Fine, only lower body work." Fred released her and Kathleen flicked him in the forehead. Before he could even ask her what he'd done that for she cut him off. "That was for…well I don't know what."

Fred stared up at her. "So now you're hitting me for no reason at all?"

Kathleen shrugged. "Yep." She didn't give him a chance to question it, just stood up, and he let her, before she moved out of the barracks and toward the gym. Fred scrambled to his feet, following after her to make sure she kept her promise.


	84. Unconscious

**100 Challenge**

**Prompt 084: Out cold**

**Title: Unconscious**

There were few things that could knock out Kathleen. Spartans had stronger skulls then normal humans and their bodies could resist shock and injury better than normal soldiers, so it took a lot of force to bring one to unconsciousness. So when a Spartan was knocked out, it wasn't too hard to figure out a cause.

A wraith ramming a Spartan at full speed could knock them out and do some bodily harm. A grenade going off could shake them but would hardly be enough to knock one out. At a certain point a Spartan could go into shock if they were injured badly enough. Losing a limb or losing a lot of blood could cause shock or fainting.

Kathleen had only been unconscious a few times. She'd been hurt bad enough that she wanted to faint, wanted to just lie down and close her eyes, but that wasn't an option when surrounded by the enemy. Sometimes there was nothing she could do about it. Like right now.

She hadn't seen the hammer, only heard it. She did see it when she turned to face the source. A hammer to the head hurt, and she didn't remember hitting the wall, or falling to the ground. She didn't remember anything until the brute's foot moved to her helmet, trying to crush her under the weight. Her visor was cracked and spotted with blood though all she could see was the underside of the brute's foot.

She closed her eyes as she heard the weight cause the reflective faceplate to crack more. Damn, the UNSC was going to start charging her for visors soon enough. That is if they ever started to pay her.

There was a single sniper shot and the foot moved from her head. She opened her eyes and saw the brute chieftain stumble back as the shards of its helmet fell to the ground. Something black streaked overhead and impacted the brute. The two fell to the ground and another figure moved past.

Kathleen turned her head in time to see the second figure jump and its feet strike the brute's head. The sound of bone breaking was muffled in her helmet as her systems were still trying to come up. It took Kathleen a moment to realize that the brute had been tackled by Tobias and the soldier who had killed it had been Edward.

Kathleen rolled and forced herself to her feet. She was a bit unstable and the movement caused her head to swim a bit but she had to clear her mind. She was aware of a brute coming toward her which turned as bullets started to fly. Kathleen's head cleared enough to realize that her weapon had fallen from her hand. The shield around the brute shimmered and then faded. Kathleen started to move toward the enemy, hand going for her knife. She stopped as a soldier moved up behind the brute, easily climbing up to stab a knife into the brute's spine.

Kathleen's head still hurt from the strike but she'd regained her senses enough to remember what was going on. They'd been ambushed, or as close to an ambush as the noisy brutes were capable of. Well, at least she hadn't been run over by a wraith.

Kathleen moved to the body and grabbed up the spiker that it had dropped. She glanced to the soldier and recognized Emily as she was a bit shorter then all her other soldiers, even in armor. "You going to leave me any kills?" Kathleen asked, a bit annoyed that she hadn't killed anything in a couple seconds. She hated not causing death in the middle of a fight.

Emily reloaded her SMG. "Sorry, Sarge, you know the rules. You have to earn your kills." Emily took off and Kathleen took off after her.


	85. MASH

**100 Challenge**

**Prompt 085: spiral**

**Title: MASH**

"It's not that hard of a game." Kathleen pulled out the data pad and quickly set up the list. "You chose three names, three vehicles, three colors, three numbers, and then three places." Kathleen filled it out and then showed it to the two men.

"Why is Fred and mine's name in the first category?" Will read over the list. It seemed pretty simple but he didn't get the point of it all yet.

"You have to choose the name of three people that you'd be willing to marry, since whichever one is chosen from that category is supposed to be your spouse." Kathleen then turned their attention back to what she was doing. "The next step then is to draw a spiral." She drew a spiral and counted it up. "All right, I got six." The two men watched as she counted, slowly crossing out word after word as she did.

"What is the point of all of this? I mean, making a spiral and then crossing off things doesn't tell you anything." Fred scowled as she crossed out his name.

"It's a game, Fred. It's supposed to be fun. The girls were all doing it the other day. Don't think Kelly was too happy with what she got." Kathleen finished and then looked over the answer. "All right, according to this I'm going to marry John, have thirteen kids, live in a mansion on Biko with him, and get around on a black mongoose. Not bad."

Will held his hand out to take the datapad. "I can't see you marrying John. He'd never been enough for you." Will filled out the categories. He counted up the rings. "I got a ten." He started to count down the list, crossing out word by word. When he finished and announced his results. "I will be living on Reach, in my mansion, with my fourteen kids and my beautiful wife, Kathleen, while I drive around in my yellow warthog." Will grinned at Kathleen as she said his answer. "So, fourteen kids. Wonder if I have to fight John for a full paternity test on the thirteen he thinks are his."

Fred took the datapad, not seeming all that happy. He filled out the list and then made a spiral. "Eight." Fred then started to go down the list and cross of the words one by one to narrow it down.

Kathleen sat back, just watching the two men. She hadn't thought they'd enjoy this so much. Fred seemed to finish but was just staring at the results. "What is it?"

"Well...apparently I'm going to be living on Reach as well, in my mansion, with my twenty-four kids, a red mongoose, and my wife." Fred looked to Kathleen.

Will put on a hurt look and looked to Kathleen. "Are you cheating on me with him? I mean, twenty-four kids. How long has this been going on?"

"Who said you don't know about him? Apparently you're both living in the same hose on the same planet." Kathleen crossed her arm. She looked to Fred who had raised his hand. "What?"

"Does John know about us? I mean, you're keeping him on a completely different planet. Are you not telling him something?" The question surprised Kathleen as it was much more teasing then she was used to from him. Maybe he was finally getting her sort of humor.

"What's a more important question is do you have twenty-four kids, I think that fourteen of the total are mine, John thinks that thirteen of them are his, and Fred thinks they are all his, or do you have fifty-one kids?" Will grinned a bit. "I'd be more than willing to knock that up fourteen times."

"There is no way in hell I'm having fifty-one kids, though even twenty-four is too many. We can adopt some of them." Kathleen leaned back on her seat. "Oh, and John has no idea. He wouldn't approve of such an alternative lifestyle."

"See, I'm not like John." Fred moved over to Kathleen's side. "I'd be just fine with you being married to all three of us."

"You wouldn't have a choice. Since your number was twenty-four then you will probably be my first husband and I'll hold out sex on you until you let me marry Will and John." Kathleen smirked as Fred pouted. Kathleen motioned for him to sit next to her and he did. "Oh, at least you get to be first."

"So does that mean the first ten are absolutely mine?" Fred put his arm around Kathleen's shoulder and pulled himself to her side.

"That means that the other fourteen are mine." Will moved up to her other side and leaned against her. "Though I supposed I can let John have one or two. Though really we have to have at least thirty-seven, since thirteen of them are living with John. Those can be the adopted ones."

Fred opened his mouth to protest but Kathleen put up her hands. "I am not having kids. We'll adopt all thirty-seven." Kathleen paused for a moment. "And every single one of them will be soldiers." The men tried to protest but she stopped them again. "End of discussion or I'm divorcing both of you and moving full time to Biko. I think John would understand." The two men shut up, relaxing against Kathleen as she took the datapad and looked for more of the games that she'd seen the girls playing the night before.


	86. Betrayed

**100 challenge**

**Prompt 086: Seeing Red**

**Title: Betrayed**

Kathleen tackled the other woman to the ground. The other trainee tried to fight back but Kathleen had stunned her with her first hit and now she was just hitting the woman. All she could see was the red of her anger. She didn't even know who had pulled her off of the other trainee. She was slightly aware that the other woman was injured, that there had been blood coming from her lip but that was about it.

Kathleen had been lectured by Mendez and then he'd let her go. Kathleen had gone to the locker room. She was just staring at her locker, trying to figure out what to do for a while when someone walked in. Kathleen glanced over at him as he moved over to sit down beside her.

They sat in silence for a while until he finally spoke. "So why did you beat the crap out of Naomi?" His voice was rather relaxed, not judging or angry with her. Though that's what she expected from him. Just curiosity.

Kathleen didn't want to answer the question. She didn't really regret it, attacking Naomi, but she didn't want to admit why she'd done it. Maybe she could lie to him. No, he'd realize that it was a lie. "She was talking bad about Fred."

Will leaned forward so his forearms were resting on his legs. "Since when do you defend Fred? Aren't you usually the one insulting Fred?"

Kathleen shook her head. "This wasn't about his skills in training or leadership skill." She loathed repeating what Naomi had said. "She said that she saw Fred kissing Linda. I couldn't let her get away with spreading a lie like that." Will looked away from her and didn't say anything. He rubbed at the back of his neck and a frown crossed his features. Shock hit Kathleen as her brain came to a conclusion. The shock changed into a sort of pain she wasn't used to, then quickly was replaced with anger. Kathleen clenched her hands as the anger took over. "So it's true?" She growled.

Will put up his hands. "Now calm down, Kitten." Kathleen's fist slammed into his shoulder and he gripped the place. "Damn, did you need to hit me so hard?" Will put a hand on her shoulder to try to calm her. "You need to calm down. It might all just be rumors. I mean, Linda isn't bad looking, but she's not as good looking as you, and she's diffidently not as good of a kisser." Kathleen scowled at him. "Hey, you keep shutting me down. Besides, I only kissed her once. It was far from your level." Kathleen rolled her eyes at him. "You know this is really hard for me."

Kathleen raised an eyebrow. "How is this hard for you?"

"Well, I could just let you be angry, you know get pissed, hit him, and then break up with him. Then you'd be free and I could step in, making my move. What's wrong with me that I can't take advantage of this moment?"

"Because you're not an awful person," Kathleen told him. "You're not taking advantage of me feeling hurt and angry to make your own gain and you're having trouble throwing your best friend under the bus. That's not a bad thing."

Will grinned. "Think I could someone manage to turn that good deed into some love and affection?" Kathleen knew he was just trying to make her feel better. Though, deep under all of it he was trying to get a bit of a gain in his attempt to win her favor.

Kathleen sighed and shook her head. "Will, I don't see why you keep trying. You keep saying you know I've made my choice, but then you go and still try to flirt with me. I just don't get it."

"What can I say, I just can't help myself when it comes to you." Will leaned a bit toward her. "Hey, at least you shouldn't get in that much trouble. I'm sure Naomi will recover just fine."

Kathleen was about to reply when Fred walked into the locker room. "I heard what happened. Why'd you do that, Kathleen? Mendez is pissed at you."

Kathleen stood up and moved to stand before Fred. "Did you kiss Linda?" She stood tall, though she was a bit afraid of the possibility that it could be true. She didn't want to believe that Fred would do something like that, but even Will thought it might be possible. Fred's gaze turned to the ground and that was all the answer that Kathleen needed. Kathleen's fist connected with his stomach and he doubled over. "And to think I tried to defend you." She stormed out of the locker room, leaving Fred curled up a bit on the floor.


	87. For Cookies!

**100 Challenge**

**Prompt 087: Food**

**Title: For Cookies!**

Kathleen stared down at the block of condensed nutrients that passed for a rations bar. It was the last bit of food that her team had. The op they'd been sent on was only supposed to last for a couple days at the most. It had already been a week and with the amount of sudden Covenant activity, it didn't look like they'd be leaving soon. They'd have to find another source of food if they were going to survive.

Kathleen stowed the rations bar and turned her attention back to the city ahead of them. Kathleen moved to the closest building, what appeared to be a residential home. She cleared it room by room until she reached the kitchen. She just stared at the mess, having not seen such a thing before.

The refrigerator was open, and all the food had been tossed to the ground. Kathleen looked over the fallen food, trying to make out tracks. From the looks of it there had been grunts, and maybe one elite, but she couldn't be sure. The prints were all overlapped and it was hard to make out an outline that she could properly identify.

"_Hey Sarge, do the Covenant do fridge raiding?_" It seemed that Tym had found the same thing as Kathleen. "_Seems they also went through the non-refrigerated items as well. Damn, they even stepped on the cookies. They will die for that._"

"Well feel free to take vengeance for the cookies if you find any Covies but otherwise stay on target. We need to get rations, preferably something that doesn't need to be kept cold." And acknowledgment light flashed from Green team and Kathleen cut off the channel. She moved through the house, unable to hear David following her.

Kathleen looked over as another ODSS entered the building. "Sarge, I may have something." Edward held up a datapad. He turned it so that she could see the screen. It was cracked but Kathleen didn't understand what his point was. Behind the cracks she could see the image of what appeared to be a message list, just someone's email. "I didn't think of it until I saw the message, ma'am. I'm sorry."

Kathleen ignored the apology. She still didn't understand what he had passed up, but whatever it was she couldn't think of it and she was staring at what had inspired him to think of something. It annoyed her that she couldn't figure out what his point was. "What am I looking at, soldier?"

Edward tapped a particular message and an email from some sort of group popped up. "There have been rumors about people stupid enough to think that they can survive a glassing in bunkers. They stock up on rations and supplies to survive and then they gather when the Covenant arrive. Apparently this person was a member of one of those groups." Edward tapped an attachment and a map showed up. "They even were kind enough to tell us where to find some food."

Kathleen nodded. "All right, let's get moving." Kathleen switched to the unit wide COMM. "All right, we have a destination, setting nav marker." Kathleen brought up the city map and put a nav marker on where the map was leading them. "Meet up there." She waited until all the green lights flashed before she motioned for Edward and David to follow.

The ODSS met up outside of the destination. They were hidden behind a group of ruined vehicles. Kathleen peered across the open space to the small metal door that served as the opening to the bunker. Outside of the door a group of grunts were burning their way through while a trio of elites in red armor watched over. Kathleen's eyes turned to the golden armored elite that stood back, watching it all, he was obviously in charge, though his armor gave him away. Odd that the Covenant were so willing to show off who was running the show. Kathleen wouldn't complain. It just made them easier to know who to target first.

"Hey Sarge, we did find something." Tobias held up a single pineapple. "Seems the grunts didn't want to touch it."

Kathleen took the pineapple from him. "All right, I'm going to piss them off. When I do you all head for the team burning through the door. I'll take care of Mr. Gold plated." Kathleen readied the fruit and then tossed it. It smacked the golden elite in the head and he let out a roar of anger. Kathleen jumped over the car she was behind and raced toward the elite, prepared to fight. "For Cookies!" The other soldiers echoed the battle cry as they raced toward the other aliens, guns blazing.


	88. Patching Things

**100 Challenge**

**Prompt 088: Pain**

**Title: Patching things**

Kathleen didn't like this sort of pain. She hadn't felt this sort of thing for a long time. She had faint memories of feeling this way after her father's funeral, that unwanted pain that she couldn't just numb. There wasn't a drug that could ease away. She still remembered the feeling when she'd been told that Fred had kissed Linda, the way that Will had comforted her, the feeling when Fred had confirmed the rumor.

Kathleen pushed all those thoughts aside, ignored the emotions that had been plaguing her for a while. The pain, the fear, and the annoyance. Kathleen ran a hand through her hair, leaning forward so her forearms were leaning on her knees. She sat on the box, waiting for Will. He'd told her to meet him in this supply room, and she'd been waiting for five minutes already. She didn't like being kept waiting.

The door opened but it wasn't what Kathleen expected. Will shoved Fred inside and blocked the doorway. Fred got to his feet and looked to Kathleen. He right away turned and tried to leave but Will stopped him. "Neither of you are leaving until the two of you kiss and make up. If you want to do more than kiss, that's up to you. I'll be waiting outside, and when you two have worked things out then just knock and I'll let you out, after you prove to me that you've made up." Will didn't give them a chance to argue, just took a step back and shut the door. Kathleen groaned as she heard the lock slide into place.

Fred took a seat on a crate a distance away from Kathleen. They didn't speak for a long time. Kathleen wasn't willing to break. She'd rather be stubborn than be the first to speak. She didn't even know how to start the conversation. She was angry, which usually allowed her to think faster, but that was usually only in combat. The problem was the pain that she felt. She didn't want to open what little of the wound she'd been trying to patch up.

Fred finally spoke, breaking the silence. "Will you at least listen to my explanation?" His voice was cautious, quiet. Usually Kathleen would scold him for being weak, but in this case she didn't feel he had a right to try to pretend to be stronger or in charge of her.

"Why should I? You kissed another girl. Why should I listen to a single thing that you have to say? Why shouldn't I just punch you in the face?" Kathleen couldn't help the anger and pain in her voice. She didn't want to show emotion, but she couldn't help it.

"Because it isn't how Naomi said it was. I didn't kiss Linda, she kissed me, and I sort of freaked out." Fred stood up and moved over to stand before Kathleen. "I swear to you that it wasn't anything, I didn't even like it."

"How can I trust that, Fred? Apparently I can't trust you not to kiss Linda. You're not saying that you didn't do it." Kathleen crossed her arms, glaring at Fred.

"No, I'm not denying it, because it did happen, but you know me Kathleen. I wouldn't lie to you. I love you." Fred moved to sit on the crate beside her. Kathleen moved a bit away but Fred slid closer to her. "Look at me. You know I'm telling the truth."

Kathleen looked at him and she looked into his eyes. She had to admit that the look in his eyes told her that he was being sincere. He seemed to really mean what he was saying, and the logic did work. Fred may do a lot of things that annoyed Kathleen, but she'd always loved his honesty with her. Kathleen sighed and relented. "All right, this one time I'll forgive you. But if I ever find out you've done something like this behind my back again you'll be castrated. Am I clear?"

Fred nodded, his hand moving over to take Kathleen's. "I completely understand, ma'am." Fred grinned and Kathleen couldn't help but smile back at him. "So are we good?"

"We're not fully back to normal, but we're on track." Kathleen intertwined her fingers with his. "I wonder if Will will let us out without kissing and making up."

"Well, we made up, sort of. So…" Fred's hand moved up to her cheek and he leaned in. His lips pressed against hers gently. It only lasted for a moment before he pulled away. "I hope that was okay."

Kathleen smiled a bit and leaned toward him to place her head on his shoulder. "It's was nice." She put her weight against him. Fred's arms wrapped around him, holding her tight. "I am going to punch Linda though."

"Oh, by all means go ahead and do it." Fred placed a light kiss on her head. "I'm sorry that I made you hurt."

"Just shut up, Fred." Kathleen closed her eyes and just relaxed completely against her partner.


	89. Theme Song

**100 Challenge**

**Prompt 089: Through the fire**

**Title: Theme Song**

Kathleen was trying to ignore the loud music as it echoed through the barracks. She'd been trying to ignoring the entire fight since she didn't really care. Her soldiers were currently fighting over what should be their theme song. Kathleen wasn't sure why they thought they needed a song for whenever they dropped, but she wasn't going to spoil their fun. Besides, if they chose something she didn't like then she'd just veto it.

"That band is crap. There is no way that we're using a song from those no talent hacks." Peter stood up, glaring down at the other soldier. Kathleen had expected that the argument would turn to punches, though it was odd to see that Peter wasn't picking a fight with Luke.

"You wouldn't know good music if it came up and bit you in the ass." Tobias stood, glaring back at the other soldier. "I'm telling you that they make good music and instead you want us to use that poser group that you like. Talk about not having taste. Their stuff is just a ton of remixed music made by other bands. Odd that they can take good songs and make them crap."

Emily was sitting on the side of her cot, cleaning her boots. She glanced over her shoulder at the arguing pair and then looked back to Kathleen. "Want to make bets on who wins?" She motioned to the pair.

Kathleen watched Tobias and Peter. "Depends on if their partners get involved. Right now, Tobias wins, no question. If Luke gets involved then Tym and Tobias aren't as good at teamwork and Peter would win." Kathleen glanced a bit past Emily to Edward who was lying on the cot behind her. "Is he asleep?"

Emily nodded. "How can he sleep?" Max moved to be sitting on the cot to Kathleen's other side. "I mean I get that we're used to arguing and people fighting, but with this crappy music how can anyone sleep?"

"What did you just say?" Suddenly Tobias' anger turned from Peter to Max. "Did you just call this crappy?" He took a step toward Max.

"You can't attack him for telling the truth." Tobias' attention turned to Kathleen when she spoke. She lay on her cot, waiting to see what his reaction would be. Would he challenge her over his taste in music, or would be back down. He went with the latter, moving back to where he'd been sitting before. "I'll make it clear now that nothing you've played so far is going to be anything you'll be forcing through the team COMM when we drop."

Tobias looked to Peter who looked rather annoyed. He then turned back to Kathleen. "Well then what can we play?"

Kathleen shrugged. "I don't have time to listen to music so I have no idea what. All I know is what you just played is crap. So nothing like that. Something that isn't just a ton of loud noises and people screaming."

"I have a suggestion." Kathleen looked to Emily as she reached under Edward and pulled out a datapad that he had been laying on. She quickly skimped through a selection of songs and then finally clicked on one. The music started and Kathleen listened intently. It was just guitar at first, very fast guitar. It then broke out into a fully song and a voice started to sing. Kathleen listened to the words, to all of it, and nodded. "I like that. What is it?"

"It's a cover of a really old song called Through the Fire and the Flames," Emily explained. "It was done by a band called World Eater. The original version was done by a band called Dragonforce but there aren't any copies of that one left."

Kathleen nodded. "That's our theme. Now, why don't you all get back to the usual fighting that you do and try to decide which of you did the worst on the last mission. I could get you all started off if you'd like."

"Um, actually, I think I'm going to go see if I can get some bits of my armor repaired." Peter moved to grab up a few plates of his suit that he'd been working on repairing.

"Yeah, I think I'm going to go see if that new group of ODST is on board and if they have any news. Troop gossip can be better than the official news letters." Tobias quickly moved out of the room.

Kathleen closed her eyes, enjoying the silence in the barracks. It wasn't often that there wasn't anyone fighting or someone calling someone else names. Kathleen looked to her side when she heard Edward sit up.

"Is something wrong?" Emily asked.

"It's too quite. I can't sleep in this sort of condition." Edward frowned and looked to Luke and James. "You two, fight with each other."

"Over what?" James crossed his arms, not really wanting to be forced into a fight. Though Kathleen couldn't be sure if it was just that he didn't want to bend to Edward's will.

"Because you took the warthog and crashed it five seconds after you got it meaning that Luke didn't get to rack up the normal points he would for being the driver while Peter kills things." Edward lay back down, as though that would be enough.

Luke turned to James and scowled at him. "He is right. Everyone knows that I'm the one that gets to drive. You shouldn't have even touched the driver's seat."

Kathleen sighed as James started to fight back. She actually felt more comfortable with the argument then the quite.


	90. Odd

**100 Challenge**

**Prompt 090: triangle**

**Title: Odd**

Kathleen was watching the trainee as he punched and kicked at the heavy bag. She was studying his form. She'd started watching him so that she'd be able to make comments to him later about all the issues he had with his technique. At least that was why she'd started.

She watched as each and every movement caused his muscles to move. She didn't really think much about it, but as she ran on the treadmill and watched him she found it hard not to focus on his movements. She watched as the muscles in his back moved with ease as his arm moved forward, striking the bag. She enjoyed the way that his body moved, the way the muscles flowed like water, with an ease that had been gained with practice over the years.

Kathleen wanted to touch his skin, feel the muscles as they moved. She wanted to know if they felt as strong as they looked. Her hands clenched as she realized her own thought. She'd been thinking about Fred that way more and more. It annoyed her, because it caused her to be distracted. She wondered if indulging in this desire to touch him would make it go away. She pulled herself out of those thoughts. She needed to stay focused.

Kathleen realized that Fred had stopped his activity and she frowned, wondering why. He was looking past her, over her shoulder. From the look on his face he wasn't happy at all with what he was seeing. Kathleen glanced over her shoulder and spotted Will, sitting on a bench and lifting a pair of weights.

Will wasn't looking at Fred, he was looking at her. From the look on his face he was thinking of her the same way she'd just been thinking of Fred. She felt odd as she realized that he was staring at her. On one hand she didn't feel like he should be looking at her like that, a bit creped out to know that he was thinking of her the way she'd thought of their team leader. On the other hand, knowing that he was looking at her gave her an odd feeling in her stomach. One very similar to what she got when she found Fred staring at her.

Kathleen turned off her treadmill. She took deep breaths as she put her fingers to her neck, feeling her pulse. She counted the beats and estimated her heart rate. She wasn't really doing the math. Her mind had stopped when Fred had started walking over to her. He stopped beside the treadmill and leaned against the controls of it. Kathleen glanced toward the arm that was leaning over the controls, pushing down her urge to touch them and find out if they felt the same as they looked.

"You done with this machine?" Kathleen nodded in response to Fred's question. "Then do you mind if I use it?"

Kathleen stepped down from the treadmill. "It's all yours." Kathleen turned to her left as Will walked up to them. She turned back to Fred who was frowning at Will. She felt his arm move over her shoulder when Will reached them. She was intrigued to find that the arm around her shoulder was strong and felt a lot like what she had thought it would.

"Hey, you done for the day, Kathleen?" Will grinned as he spoke. Kathleen nodded, figuring that she had worked out enough for the day. "Well I'm done for the day as well. Perhaps you'd like to join me for a nice refreshing shower."

Kathleen noticed that Fred's frown deepened. Kathleen ignored it. She was a bit uneasy about showering with Will considering how he'd just been looking at her. She pushed that aside and nodded. "I could use a good shower." She moved out from Fred's arm. "Have a nice run." She turned and walked out of the gym with Will on her heels. She glanced back at Fred for just a moment, smiling as she watched him start to run. She stopped for a moment and just enjoyed the way he looked while he ran.

Kathleen's attention was pulled away as Will's arm moved around her shoulder. It was stronger and heavier than Fred's. He steered her toward the showers, pulling her away from Fred, though she looked back, enjoying the sight for a moment before she let her teammate lead her away. She frowned as she looked at Will and how pleased he was with her beside him.

Kathleen's frown turned into a scowl as she realized that somehow she, Fred, and Will had ended up in some odd triangle. The sort of odd triangle in which she was having these emotions for Fred, and Will seemed to have the same emotions for her, though Will feeling that way for some reason was annoying Fred. Kathleen didn't understand it, so she pushed all of that to the back of her mind and decided to plan out what to do if Will annoyed her in the showers.


	91. Blood

**100 Challenge**

**Prompt 091: Drowning**

**Title: Blood**

Kathleen tried to suck in breath but found that it wasn't possible. She wanted to move, stop the blood that filled her throat that made her feel like she was drowning. Unfortunately, the brute pinning her to the wall didn't really give her the option of changing what position she was in. Kathleen glared at the chieftain. A brute grin crossed the alien's face as he put more pressure on Kathleen's neck and chest.

"Foolish human. You think that you can stand up to the might of the Covenant. The elites speak of you demons like they are immortal. You are nothing compared to the might of my pack." As the brute spoke spit landed on her visor. Kathleen recognized a few of the words, having been trying to learn more of the Covenant language. Still, her translation software in her armor repeated back the proper translation through her helmet.

She coughed and a bit of the blood splattered onto her visor. It didn't make it any easier to breath, but it did remind her of her problem. She grabbed a grenade from her belt and grinned at the brute. "You know, the problem with you Covie bastards is that you all think you're so great. You think that sheer strength will be what wins." The smile slipped a bit on the brute's face, replaced by anger. "What you don't realize, is that you're actually weak. You just don't have the brains to keep up with us."

Kathleen primed the grenade and tossed it. The adhesive explosive attached to the alien's helmet. It roared in surprise and anger. It roared at Kathleen and leaned in closer to her. There was nothing she could do to keep the grenade from going off close to her. The blast heated her armor and the metal partially melted in the extreme heat. Her visor cracked a bit and she felt heat wash through her suit before it tried to compensate for the change in temperature.

The brute fell and finally released Kathleen from its grip. She moved so that she was facing the ground and coughed until she felt her airway was clear enough. She took in deep breaths, glad to once more be able to draw a full breath. Her armor fought her movements but she pushed past it as best she could.

She looked up and through the red haze of her visor she could see a group of grunts, pistols leveled at her head while a brute in blue armor stood behind them. Kathleen prepared to fight but froze as the brute was suddenly gone, replaced by a warthog. The grunts all turned toward the vehicle, giving Kathleen an easy target.

She reached out, grabbing the masks off of two of the alien's faces and then smashing her fist through the third's skull. The two without masks choked for methane and fell to the ground, unable to breath. Kathleen turned her attention to the warthog and the ODST in it.

"Hey Sarge, want a ride?" Luke leaned over the passenger's seat so that he could talk to her. "Though, I have to tell you, there's no smoking in my vehicles."

Kathleen looked down at her armor which was smoldering a bit. "Well, rank does have privileges." She climbed into the vehicle and settled in. "Get us to the group of marines. The rest of the team should be there. I don't want to miss the party."

"You got it, Sarge." Luke put his petal to the metal and the warthog sped off.


	92. Taken

**100 Challenge**

**Prompt 092: All I have**

**Title: taken**

Kathleen held onto the tags with all of her strength. She wouldn't let the man take them from her, no matter how much force he pulled them with. "Just hand them over, kid." The DI grabbed Kathleen's wrist, trying to pull it away from the tags so that she'd release them. Kathleen wasn't about to let that happen. She moved forward and bit the other man's arm as both of her hands were busy. The man released the tags and took a step back.

"Are we sure these kids aren't feral?" another DI asked. "I saw a couple of the other guys had scratches. One of them is in the infirmary with some broken fingers."

Kathleen ignored them, clutching the tags to her chest. She wouldn't let them take them. They were all that she had. The only thing that was left of her family, and she wouldn't let anyone take them from her. She held them tight enough that her knuckles were turning white.

"Why does this have to be so hard? Can't we just knock some sense into her and grab it?" The third DI didn't seem like he wanted to play around. He was tired and Kathleen could see that he looked like he'd been hit. They must have been going through the trainees and confiscating all their possessions that they might have hidden.

Kathleen knew that they were moving around her and she did the only thing she could think of doing. As she had no training, she couldn't go offensive on them. Instead, she knelt, curling up as much as she could while still on her feet, pinning the arm holding the tags to her chest with her other arm.

She didn't see the man move, just felt him hit her head. It caused her to move and another soldier moved behind her. His arm moved around her neck and she still clutched the tags to her chest. He held her tight and she found that she couldn't breathe. She struggled to try to take in a breath but she couldn't. Her grip loosened and the other DIs moved forward. They pried her arms from her chest and tore the tags from her hand.

The man holding her finally let her go and Kathleen hit the ground. She sucked in air as though she'd never be able to breathe again. The DI that had taken the tags looked at them. "What the hell is a kid doing with the tags of some marines?"

Kathleen turned to look at him and moved toward him. Before she could reach him a pair of DIs grabbed her, holding her back. "Give them back!" She struggled against the two men. If she'd been able to reach the DI with her tags she would have torn his hand off to get them back. "Those are mine!"

The DI shook his head. "Not any more, kid." He put them in a tub and then motioned to the two men. They carried Kathleen off and put her with the other trainees that had already had their items taken. She moved to follow them, to get back what was hers, but the shock of a DI's baton caused her to fall to the ground. She lay there, trying to figure out what to do.

Kathleen felt hands grab her and pull her up. They weren't violent, though, so they weren't DIs. The two people helped her to the side and set her down out of the way. "You all right?"

Kathleen looked up and found Fred hovering over her, worried. "No, they took my tags." Kathleen looked over to see that the other person had been Will. Her only two friends here.

Fred reached down and touched the tags that were her personal tags. "You still have your tags, Kathleen." He seemed worried, like something they'd done had made her not know basic facts.

"Not those tags, you idiot. They took my mom and dad's tags." Kathleen curled up a bit. She felt so bare without them. The tags were a part of her, and they'd taken them. Fred sighed and sat down beside her, letting her curl up against him. Will moved to the other side and leaned against her. The three of them sat in silence as they watched trainee after trainee be brought back. Some were fighting, others were just confused, or were just sad that something had been taken.

Kathleen stared down at the tags in her hand. She read the names several times before she really believed that they were the real thing. "I can have them back?"

Saran nodded. "We see no reason to keep them from you. After all, they are your property, and I can see no reason to keep a daughter from having a piece of her parents."

Kathleen hung the chain around her neck and let the tags rest against her chest. She took a deep breath and she felt oddly at balance. Whole again. "Sir, there are some other tags that I'd like."

Saran raised an eyebrow, apparently not having expected the request. "Tell me what you want and I'll see what I can do."


	93. Never

**100 Challenge**

**Prompt 093: Give up**

**Title: Never**

Kathleen lay in the ditch, cursing as the bullets continued to spray overhead. This had not gone well. At least most of her soldiers weren't in the ditch with her. She looked over at Peter, Luke, and David who were beside her.

"Now what?" Peter asked. He seemed very calm for the fact that it was live rounds being fired at them. Then again, this wasn't the first time that the soldiers had used live ammunition. Saran never told them so they usually just expected it.

"Well, there's no way we're giving up. I don't know what Tym or Tobias might be doing." For all she knew they were planning themselves. The problem would be if she made a plan and then it ruined the plan of one of her other soldiers. It might actually end up making both plans fail. She'd have to try to think of what Tym and Tobias would do. Would they wait for her to make a plan, or fight over who's plan was better than take action.

"All right, let's run through the situation. We're stuck in a ditch. Up there are three soldiers, at least. One who's on the machine gun of the warthog, keeping us under cover, the other two were in the driver and passenger seat. We aren't sure if that is still true or not, but we know that the one is still on the gun." Kathleen didn't often think out loud. It was too slow and she thought faster.

"For all we know the other two are trying to get down here and get us from the sides." David had to lie down like Kathleen. His height made him a bigger target and crouching just didn't keep him low enough.

Kathleen shook her head. "No, they would be putting themselves into the possible line of fire. We do have to assume that they are going to come after us, but coming down here they'd have to point their lines of fire directly at each other in order to do it."

"Unless they plan on making us surrender, then they don't have to fire," Peter pointed out.

Kathleen thought about it. It might be a risk they would take. "Fine, David, Peter, watch our sides." The two soldiers turned to watch the directions, looking for any sign of movement. "Either way, we can't just sit here and do nothing. We have no weapons, no way to contact the rest of the team, and no armor." Kathleen didn't like that, but it was the way they did things. It would make being in armor, with COMMs and weapons seem like a breeze when they got into real combat.

"So then, we aren't just going to sit around but we have to try to tell what Tym and Tobias are going to do. You do realize that they, together, are just a bit less unpredictable then you are, ma'am." Luke crossed his arms over his chest. "We also have to take bets on who wins the fight. I will take actual bets on that."

The gunfire above them stopped and Kathleen wondered if it was just a trick, a way to get them out in the open. She carefully moved to the edge of the ditch and peeked over the edge. The gunner had fallen from the warthog and the other two soldiers were standing beside the jeep, looking out into the forest. Kathleen decided to take her chance. "Luke."

Kathleen moved out of the ditch and crossed the gap between her and the soldiers in a flash. She grabbed the hand of the closest soldier, breaking the bones in her hand. He cried in pain and she brought her elbow up to hit him in the face, he fell and she turned to the second soldier.

Luke's fist impacted the side of the second man's head and it hit the jeep before he hit the ground. With the soldiers incapacitated Kathleen stripped them of their ammunition and tossed it out into the forest. Her team wasn't allowed to take the weapons of the soldiers, but she could stop them from even having one shot.

Kathleen then moved over to the jeep and crouched. "You can come out." Emily's head poked out from under the warthog. "You having fun?"

Emily dropped herself from the bottom of the jeep and rolled out from under it, quickly standing up in a single fluid motion. "Not at all. These soldiers don't take care of their vehicles. You've hate them, Luke." Luke frowned, kneeling beside the warthog to look under it. "Team is around us, waiting. What next, ma'am?"

Kathleen glanced toward the fallen soldiers and then smiled. "Well, we can't have their weapons, but no one said we couldn't take their car." Kathleen motioned to the men. Steal their uniforms. We're going to have some fun."

Luke stood up. "One condition." Kathleen frowned at him. She didn't like him acting like he had any say. "We either have this thing be destroyed in the plan, or I get to take it back with me and give it some proper TLC."

Kathleen paused for a moment. "I'm going with option one. It's more fun. Now strip these soldiers." The soldiers moved to task while Kathleen plotted.


	94. Preparing

**100 Challenge**

**Prompt 094: Last Hope**

**Title: preparing **

Kathleen checked over her weapon, being sure that it was completely clean. Her new Mark VI armor seemed too clean, no scratches or burns like her old armor. It was the same black as her old armor. She'd had to convince the techs to make it black, but she was glad to have it.

Kathleen looked around at her soldiers. There was an odd calm in the air. No, calm wasn't the right word. It was quiet, but not calm. The Covenant were coming toward Earth, and humanity was making its last stand. This was their last hope, the only place they had to stand on. If they lost Earth, then the fight was over.

Kathleen knew that there would be nowhere else. This would either be their triumph, or more likely, the grave of her and her soldiers. It was odd when Kathleen thought about it. She'd never been to Earth before this. She'd always been on the front lines, fighting the Covenant or rebels. There'd never been time for a trip to Earth. It wasn't really all that special when she looked at it. Kathleen frowned as she tried to remember what planet she'd come from. She tried to remember what it had looked like compared to here. She couldn't.

Kathleen set her weapon on her cot and grabbed her knife from its place on her chest plate. The blade was a midnight black, the edge a dim gray. She moved it in her hands, looking at the edge. She thought of Fred, of how he'd loved to show off with his knife skill. Well, he showed off to her. He never did at any other time. He was average when they were in training, but she'd taught him more advanced techniques. He always just told people he wanted to surprise them, or that he didn't want anyone else asking her for lessons.

Kathleen thought of the Spartans. She wondered how many of them would never see Earth. They were all gone, she'd seen the last of them die herself when Joshua had to be left behind. She wondered if Fred had ever seen Earth, of if his days had all been spent fighting. She could look at his file, but she didn't want to. She didn't want to see all the places he'd been, all the years he'd lived, all the while thinking she was dead. Now it was too late. Not that they ever really had any chance of seeing each other again. Her orders prohibited it.

Kathleen looked up as Edward moved to stand before her. She still felt guilt over having hurt him. She should have known, should have guessed that they were her soldiers. It was the only reason they'd been any threat to her. She hadn't and instead she made a mistake and hurt one of her soldiers, sent him to med bay. She remembered Emily's anger; the horror when they found out it was her. She was still pissed at the UNSC for it, for not telling any of them. They would have fought just as hard knowing who each side was. She would have just been more careful, and her soldiers would have fought twice as hard.

"Ma'am, the medics have cleared me. I'm reporting for full duty." Edward stood up at attention and waited for her to say something back.

Kathleen nodded. "Welcome back to the front lines, soldier. Covenant's on the way. Don't waste any more time." Kathleen put her knife back in its place and Edward nodded, moving off to his cot.


	95. Enlist

**100 Challenge **

**Prompt 095: Advertisement**

**Title: Enlist**

Kathleen stared at the screen, just looking at the image that was there. She frowned behind her visor, wondering if this was really what the UNSC was putting out. On the screen was a picture of several troopers, some Spartans, and a pair of ODST in front of a picture of what Kathleen identified as Earth. The words 'Protect her' were plastered on the top in bold white letters.

"Soldiers do realize that they can't be Spartans, right?" Tobias examined the photo. "None of those soldiers even look like they are in real combat. I mean, where's the blood and guts that should be all over?"

"It's an advertisement for the UNSC. They don't want to scare people away with blood," Peter pointed out. "Though it really could use some blood on it."

"They put the Spartans in there to make people think they can be Spartans." Kathleen looked at the two Spartans in the picture, trying to identify them. "If people think that they can be Spartans, they'll hop on the UNSC ships and hope that the navy will pump them full of drugs and augment them so they can do what they think Spartans do. Fight against the strongest enemies and be immortal."

"So basically ONI let's them put the Spartans on there and they deceive innocent young people to joining with hopes that they'd be something more than just cannon fodder for trying to stop the Covenant." Kathleen looked at Matthew, surprised by his words. "Sorry, ma'am, but I know how influencing one of these things can be. I joined up because of an ad sort of like this. I saw an ad of some soldiers all standing proud, and running in groups, you know, the stuff out there that makes the UNSC looks like it's just one big adventure."

"Isn't it? I mean we go from planet to planet, killing things that are like nothing we've ever seen. We get to just run around and slaughter things. I think it's an adventure." James looked at his partner, hoping to sway him.

Matthew shook his head. "That's how it is for us, but we were trained by Sarge. The other soldiers aren't. How many of the young soldiers that we find dead joined up because of posters like this, because they thought they were going to be Spartans?"

Silence hung in the air for a moment before someone spoke. "You really joined up because one of these stupid posters?" Edward asked.

"Oh, like you have a better story as to how you joined up." Matthew crossed his arms over his chest though Kathleen guessed he was scowling at Edward behind his helmet.

"That depends on what you consider better. I talked to a soldier, said that he'd killed a lot of people in the anti-rebel missions. I asked him if it was legal and he said it was. I signed up the next day." Edward told the story as though he were explaining how he'd bought a carton of milk.

"Wow, I really am starting to think that you were like a serial killer before you joined up. I mean, joining up because killing would be legal." Tobias turned to Emily. "Please tell me you don't have a story like that."

Emily shrugged. "Not really. My family is military. I went to the officer's academy." The group grew silent at the news. Kathleen had read the file and knew they were just as surprised that Emily had tried to be an officer. When she tried to imagine the woman as a Lieutenant she couldn't do it. It just seemed wrong.

Matthew found his voice first. "So what happened?"

Emily paused for a moment before answering. "I broke a few noses and busted a few lips. Apparently that is frowned upon in officers, so here I am, breaking faces and necks with you people."

"Well, aren't we just a lovely group of people." Peter turned to look at Max. "I've always wanted to know what you are doing here."

Max didn't really say anything. He was either unwilling to talk, or trying to figure out what to say. Finally he spoke. "I needed the money."

"Don't I know that one?" Patrick smacked him on the back and chuckled. "I was flat broke so I joined the UNSC."

"Seems like that's rather common." David looked at the other two. "Not for me. I had a job as a cop. Problem was that they just didn't have the authority, or the drive, to really do anything. Eventually you just get fed up with the rebels running around and not being able to do anything."

Kathleen raised her pistol and a single round tore through the screen causing the advertisement to vanish. The soldiers all looked to her. "Enough, we've spent far too much time standing still. We're moving." She turned and started to walk down one side of the road. The other soldiers moved after her.


	96. Storm

**100 Challenge**

**Prompt 096: In the Storm**

**Title: Storm**

Kathleen would compare combat to a storm. A very violent storm full of fire and bullets. There was no quiet in the storm of battle, not in real combat. Even went staring down an enemy there was no quiet. There were the growls of brutes, the excited barks of grunts, and the pounding of your own heart.

Kathleen ran across the scorched ground toward the wraith tank. She could hear the surprised cries of jackals as she ran past them. There were angry roars from brutes as they ordered the smaller troops to take her out before firing their own weapons. Kathleen ignored it all as she ran.

Her weapon raised and the sound of her SMR spewing rounds at the gunner joined the higher pitched sound of the plasma turret firing. Kathleen moved around the wraith and the gunner tried to follow. His shots missed while hers all hit target. The brute's shield dropped and Kathleen moved toward the tank. Her gun slammed into the brute's head and it cracked the alien's skull. With that thread out of the way she turned her attention to the driver.

The wraith tried to turn to shake her off but she held tight. Kathleen tore at the hatch and finally got it open. The brute inside looked up at her and roared. Her fist struck its helmet and it was growled in anger. She kept hitting it as the alien tried to do something. She didn't see the code that it keyed in. All she knew was that the brute's hand was suddenly holding onto her chest armor. Kathleen pulled her blade free from its sheath and stabbed it into the back of the alien's hand. The brute released and Kathleen jumped from the wraith. She had just hit the ground when it went off.

The wraith exploded into fire and Kathleen felt heat wash over her body as her armor took the damage. Her ears rang and her vision burred for a moment. She blinked a few times and it came back just in time to see a pair of jackals leveling their weapons at her. They were just about to fire when they suddenly vanished. Kathleen spotted their bodies flying through the air as they were flung from the front of the warthog.

Kathleen got to her feet and the warthog sped off, already fully loaded. Kathleen looked around and took in the whole scene. Plasma and bullets streaked by each other as her forces fought the group of Covenant. Grenades went off like thunder though it sounded distant as her hearing was still working to come back. The whine of banshees like a foreboding wind filled the air. Kathleen quickly grabbed a plasma pistol and over charged it. She tracked the flier and shot. The ball of green hit the banshee and it fell. She watched as David ran over to it, forced the hatch open, and kicked the pilot out before climbing in and taking off.

There was a bark beside Kathleen and she stung with her knife hand where she knew it would be. The blade cut through the throat and breather of the first grunt. She then swung back around and stabbed the knife into the head of a second grunt. Kathleen put her blade away and reloaded her SMG before running toward what few enemies remained. Combat may be a raging storm of death and destruction, but she loved it.


	97. Ill advised

**100 Challenge**

**Prompt 097: Safety first**

**Title: Ill advised **

Kathleen sat before her soldiers, looking them over. They were all watching her intently, wondering what she was going to tell them. "I know most of you have been told that Safety is first. For what we'll be doing, that won't be true. It will be true in exercises, in training, but not in the real world. In the real world our mission will be first."

Kathleen opened the crates that were beside her. "You all know these weapons, you know them well. You know how to use them, how not to use them. That is you know how normal soldiers aren't supposed to use them. Your missions may call for you to break these rules of usage in order to fulfill what must be done. "

Kathleen picked up one of the rocket launchers. "These, you may have to use closer then you were trained to do. You may have no option other than to fire it right beside you." Kathleen looked them over, watching their reaction. They seemed to be absorbing the information as she gave it out. "Yes, you will get hurt, but when you signed up you know you might get hurt." Kathleen put the launcher away.

"I'm not a fan of heroics, at least not the word. We break the rules of usage out of necessity, because of desperation, not because we want to save the day. I will not tolerate unnecessary heroics on my team. Such actions usually cause more harm than what they save."

Kathleen moved over to another chest and pulled out a sniper rifle. "As humans we have skill sets, and each of us has our own skills. Weapons are to be given to those that can use them properly. If you're skill is the rocket launcher, don't walk around with a sniper rifle. Give it to someone that is good at sniping. If you are best at killing people up close, grab yourself a shotgun, not a DMR." Kathleen put the rifle away and moved over to a third crate, opening it.

"Our standard weapons will be these." She pulled out an SMR and a magnum. "Each of you will go into combat with these weapons. Exceptions will be made. Kathleen put away the SMG. "You will always have a pistol, but your SMG can be traded out for a specialty weapon if we have them available to be taken with us." Kathleen made sure the safety was on the magnum before she tucked it into the back of her pants, ignoring that it dug a bit into her back.

"This may change. On a mission I may decide to give you a DMR and an assault rifle. You won't carry specialty weapons into combat without my approval, first. Is all of this clear?" Kathleen stood tall before the soldiers.

"Yes, ma'am!" The soldiers all shouted together.

"Good, now, we're going to start with SMGs and pistols for your target practice. After that you will be tested on the more heavy duty weapons." Kathleen motioned to the crates along the side. "Everyone grab one of each weapon, and head to the firing range." She didn't wait for them to do as ordered before she moved out of the building to the range. She'd set up a line that was about thirty yards away from a group of human shaped targets. She'd then set up a group of enemies sixty yards away. That should make for a good start. She'd have them use the magnum on the far away group and the SMGs on the closer group. Neither were in what was considered an effective range but if you could learn to be effective at this range, then you could easily be deadly at a closer range.


	98. Cube

**100 Challenge**

**Prompt 098: Puzzle**

**Title: Cube**

Kathleen sat on her cot, looking around the room. All her soldiers were sitting on their own cot, cubes in hand, trying to figure it out. She thought the puzzles would be a nice test of their problem solving skills. It would also give her a good idea of who could look further ahead than just the next move. It would make her choice of team leaders easier.

It wasn't the best option to figure it out, but she didn't have the time to do it by testing each of them in a leadership position. In fact, a lot of her training for them was happening faster then she'd prefer. She could do it, but her soldiers didn't get time to perfect the skills that she was teaching before they used them in exercises.

Her soldiers didn't seem to mind the learning curve. They just rolled with whatever she threw at them, even things like this. None of them had questioned the puzzles; they'd just taken them and started to work. She wasn't sure if she was proud of that or not. It meant that they hadn't gone for more information than they'd needed, they'd just trusted her. She'd told them to complete the puzzle and then hand them over. None of her soldiers had asked about rules or restrictions, just assumed that she'd told them everything. Or had they. For all she knew they hadn't asked so that way they could break the rules without getting in trouble because she hadn't informed them of the rules.

If that was what they were doing, they'd be in for a cold awakening. Just as going against orders just because you hadn't been told not to do something could get you in trouble, so would going against her rules in this exercise. After all, the rules were there, they just hadn't asked.

Kathleen reached over to the floor beside her bed and picked up the mixed up puzzle there. She started to lazily turn the sides and was only really half paying attention to what she was doing. She had finished a side before she realized it and it was only another ten minutes before she'd finished the whole thing.

Kathleen looked around at the soldiers. She realized that a few of them had finished, but rather then turn them in, they were sitting with other soldiers, trying to help them finish. Kathleen made a mental note of which ones had finished, and who was helping who. She looked to the left were Tym was helping David and Max try to figure out theirs. Patrick had finished his and was helping Tobias show James, Matthew, and Luke how to do theirs. Peter was sitting a bit to the side just listening, but having already finished his. Edward was sitting with Emily as they worked through their two puzzles together.

Maybe this was a good test. Kathleen studied the larger groups, seeing who was taking the lead in those teams. It wasn't hard to tell. Only Tym, Tobias, and Peter had finished theirs. Peter wasn't doing much of anything so that left it rather obvious who had taken the initiative and was helping others.

Kathleen stood from her cot and moved through the room. A few of the soldiers watched her as she walked out of the barracks, deciding to get in a late evening run while she waited for them to finish.

When she returned an hour later there were twelve finished puzzles sitting on her cot. All her soldiers were gone and she didn't know where they'd gone. She searched and eventually found them in the gym, doing some simple exercises while playing a game of twenty questions. Kathleen smirked, pleased with how it had all turned out. She'd found leaders, and her team had shown teamwork by helping each other. Yes, it had diffidently been a successful test.


	99. Brig

**100 Challenge**

**Prompt 099: Solitude**

**Title: Brig**

Kathleen sat in the brig, just staring at the wall. To her it was such a silly punishment. So she got to sit all alone in a room with no one to bug her. All it really did was give her time to decide how to take revenge on whoever had sent her here. Unlike most times where it was because of a fight, this time it was because someone had told.

She lay down on the cot and stared up at the ceiling. She went through the list of people that knew, which was just about everyone. In fact, she didn't think there was anyone that didn't know. She started to list of the people that she knew would never tell on her. Will, Fred, Kelly, Sam. Not a very long list, which left a lot of possibilities.

Kathleen hadn't admitted to anything, even if the accusations were true. They didn't have any actual proof other than the word of another soldier, and they hadn't even named her accomplice. She didn't have much faith in it other than to try to get her in trouble. That motive would give her a much shorter list. She would first guess the most recent teams that her team had beaten or she'd been particularly violent against.

At least now she had the list narrowed down to green and gray team. She'd hit Jai hard enough to give him a black eye in the last exercise against them. He might be mad about it. Then again it might have been Adriana. She'd seemed pretty pissed about Kathleen hitting her team leader that hard. Though why Adriana would turn her in didn't make sense. She had a lot to lose and Kathleen knew things about her.

Anyone on green team could be mad at her, or it could have been all of them. She'd destroyed the log they'd been standing on when they'd been chasing her team across a river. They'd all fallen in and been washed away. Though that was because of Kathleen's whole team. Maybe she was just the only one that they had any dirt on. That was a possibility that she hadn't considered.

Kathleen started to go through the number of people that might have things against her team, or maybe were going against her team in an upcoming exercise. That could have been just about anyone. Hell, it could have been someone that just wanted to see her team crippled a bit in the future. That once more made her list very long. She wasn't sure if that was a step forward or a step back.

Kathleen looked over as the door opened. Seemed that her time in solitary was over. She stood up and moved out of the room, not saying a single word. She wasn't going to give them anything to work with. She made her way back through the base and toward the part of the base that was for the Spartan trainees.

Kathleen found Will and Fred sitting by the water faucets. They looked to her as she arrived. "So what happened?"

"Nothing I'll ever admit to." Kathleen looked around, being sure that no one was around. "Did either of you tell?" She looked at Will and then at Fred.

"About what?" Fred scowled, not knowing what she was talking about. "You have to tell us what you got in trouble for."

Kathleen sighed. "They think I'm the one that poisoned the meat the other day. They don't have any proof, cause it was a short stay and I wasn't given any official punishment, so I think that it was just gossip, or it was someone that wasn't there."

Will nodded. "I'll look into it." He moved off toward the barracks. Kathleen knew that he'd be able to fake kindness enough to get some information.

Kathleen turned to Fred. "That wasn't why I was in the brig." Fred frowned and waited for her to explain. "Someone told, about us." Kathleen motioned to the two of them.

"What are we going to do?" Fred seemed worried, glancing around as though they were being watched at that moment.

"_I'm_ going to figure out who it is, and beat the crap out of them." Kathleen walked away from him. She was glad that Fred didn't try to stop her. Now she just needed to manage to not be violent long enough to get some information.


	100. Calm

**10o Challenge**

**Prompt 100: Relaxation **

**Title: Calm**

Kathleen had never been a big fan of relaxation. To her it was the same thing as being lazy, inactive. It just wasn't acceptable. She liked to be up and moving. Learning, training, fighting someone, any one of them was more productive then relaxation.

It was why Kathleen was so surprised to find herself laying on the mossy floor of the forest, just staring up at the treetops above them. She listened to the birds sing and watched the branches above sway in the wind. It was all so calming. Was this why people relaxed? To feel this sort of calm?

Kathleen looked up to the face of the man whose lap her head was resting in. His eyes were closed and his head was drooped, indicating that he'd fallen asleep. This had all been his idea after all. He was always trying to come up with new bonding ideas. Fred shifted but didn't wake up. He was leaning against an old stump of a tree that looked to have been cut down.

Kathleen looked down to the man whose head was resting on her stomach. Kathleen had settled between Fred's legs and put her head in his lap the moment that they'd sat down. It hadn't taken Will much longer to stake his claim to laying on her. His arms were partially wrapped around her waist and he was lying face down, cheek pressed to her shirt. His eyes were closed but she knew he was still awake. His hands around her were absently running fingers over the parts of her back and sides that they could reach.

Kathleen pulled herself up a bit, bringing her a bit closer to Fred, she moved up him a bit and he slid down a bit so that she could put her head on his chest. Kathleen could see that he was still asleep but his body had just reacted. She turned around so that she could be lying down, ignoring the groan of annoyance from Will. He released her enough for her to turn around then right away put his face against his back, arms still around her. Kathleen felt him try to slip a hand under her shirt and she kicked him a bit and he stopped.

Kathleen made herself comfortable and looked to the pair beside them. Joshua was leaning against the stump, Sheila curled up in his arms. Kathleen could see that his eyes were open and that his fingers were trailing over Sheila's arm. Kathleen wasn't sure if the woman was awake or not, but she didn't think it mattered. If Sheila had had any issues with being touched she wouldn't be curled up in Joshua's arms.

Kathleen closed her eyes, enjoying the warmth from the two men that lay with her. She still didn't see how this relaxation thing was productive, but she admitted that it did feel nice. It wasn't something she'd be willing to do often, but if she got to lay like this with her team, no worries, in their warmth and comfort, she might take part every once in a while.


End file.
